Bernstein no longer specified the gender of the narrator, and recordings featuring both male and female narrators have been made. In the first recording below (which is of the original version for female narrator), the narrator was Bernstein's wife, Felicia Montealegre, whereas in the second and third recordings below (which were of the revised work), the narrators were men, Michael Wager and Willard White. The Kaddish Symphony was often narrated by Samuel Pisar until his death in 2015; he wrote a new text for it describing his experience with the Holocaust, when all of his family suffered, and most perished. Pisar wrote this version of the text for the Kaddish Symphony "in memory of Leonard Bernstein, a beloved friend." The first performance in France took place in 1994, and was carried out by the Formation Symphonique of the Chœur et Orchestre des Grandes Écoles with Mari Kobayashi as soloist and Michael Lonsdale as the narrator. In November 2017, Kaddish was performed in three concerts by the New York Philharmonic to commemorate Bernstein's 100th birthday at David Geffen Hall, with Tamara Wilson (soprano), Jeremy Irons (narrator), and Leonard Slatkin conducting. Recordings Recording of the US premiere (first version) with Charles Munch conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the New England Conservatory Chorus and the Columbus Boychoir with Jennie Tourel (mezzo-soprano) and Felicia Montealegre (narrator) (Kipepeo) recorded in 1964 and released in 2017 Premiere studio recording (first version) with Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic, Columbus Boychoir and Camerata Singers with Jennie Tourel (mezzo-soprano) and Felicia Montealegre (narrator) (Columbia Masterworks, Stereo KS 6605) Premiere recording (revised version), with Bernstein conducting the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Vienna Boys' Choir with Montserrat Caballé (soprano) and Michael Wager (narrator) (Deutsche Grammophon 463462) Gerard Schwarz conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, Liverpool Cathedral Choir and Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir with Yvonne Kenny (soprano) and Willard White (narrator) (Naxos 8559456) Yutaka Sado conducting the French Radio Orchestra and Chorus with Karita Mattila (soprano) and Yehudi Menuhin (narrator) (Erato2564 69655-6) recorded in 1999 and released in 2008. Leonard Slatkin conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, the BBC Singers, London Oratory School Schola, with Ann Murray (soprano) and Jamie Bernstein (narrator) (Chandos CHSA 5028) References Compositions by Leonard Bernstein Jewish music Bernstein 3 Bernstein 3 Compositions with a narrator 1963 compositions