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In Elie Wiesel's latter years, he and I discussed the effects of the Holocaust. Those conversations are now an opera.

JL;DR SUMMARY Howard Reich, a longtime music critic for the Chicago Tribune, reflects on his unexpected relationship with Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, which began when Reich was assigned to interview Wiesel after receiving the Tribune’s Literary Prize. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

HolocaustHolocaust EducationElie WieselHolocaust RemembranceMusic Of RemembranceSecond GenerationOperaHoward ReichThe Art Of Inventing HopeThe Dialogue Of Memories

Places mentioned

Davos, Graubünden, Switzerland
"Elie Wiesel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, 2006."
Chicago, Illinois, United States
"Back in 2012, while on assignment as the Chicago Tribunes longtime music critic, I received a phone call from my editor that would change my life."
New York, United States
"I flew to New York and found myself seated inches away from him in his Manhattan office."
Florida, United States
"For the next four years, I visited Wiesel regularly in New York and Florida and spoke with him often on the phone."
Seattle, Washington, United States
"The Dialogue of Memories, which premieres next month in Seattle."
San Francisco, California, United States
"The Dialogue of Memories plays May 17 at Benaroya Hall in Seattle; May 20 at the Presidio Theatre in San Francisco;"
Illinois, United States
"May 23-24 at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago."

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Cairo Item ID 80074
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2026-04-15 05:31:09 UTC
Curated 2026-04-15 08:31:32 UTC