An edited symphony dedicated to Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein was never happy with the text to his Symphony No. 3, written to lament the death of President Kennedy. Following its 1963 debut, he believed the version of the Jewish prayer for the dead needed a stronger feel. When he met Samuel Pisar, he knew he had found the perfect librettist. Pisar, the youngest survivor of Auschwitz, became an international lawyer, author, humanitarian, and adviser to presidents and world leaders. Pisar watched several decades pass before he was convinced to undertake revisions of the project.

“After 9/11, I knew I had to comply with Bernstein’s final wish,” he said.