As the Detroit Symphony strike continues, concerts this weekend have been cancelled and musicians are picketing outside the orchestra's home.

In this 1991 episode of The Vocal Scene, the late host George Jellinek pays tribute to Jussi Björling, the Swedish tenor known for his effortless and suave voice as well as his tragically short career.

The Welsh bass-baritone who plays Wotan in the Met’s new Ring cycle tells us about set malfunctions, his love of the band Pink Floyd, and why he's finally releasing a Christmas album.

The Washington National Opera has appointed conductor Philippe Auguin as its new music director. The appointment is the latest in a series of shake-ups for the company.

The New York debut has long been a rite of passage for classical musicians. These half a dozen promising young singers have recently or are about to make debuts on New York area stages. Here's what to watch and listen for.

Founded in 1914, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra has had a tumultuous history of financial crises, labor unrest, and concert hall problems but also some nationally and internationally acclaimed concert tours and recordings. Here are some highlights from its history.

Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni were childhood friends in Italy, and they went on to make many classic recordings together. This archival edition of The Vocal Scene offers a sample of their musical chemistry.

Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians called a strike after refusing to accept steep pay cuts demanded by the financially struggling orchestra. Read more and listen to Midge Woolsey's interviews with both sides.

Found sound is a staple of some experimental music that ends up in clubs and galleries, and other alternative spaces. But on a recent Friday, Magnus Lindberg, the New York Philharmonic's composer in residence, and several percussionists, were scouring a salvage yard on Staten Island for local junk that will be played at Avery Fisher Hall in October.

The California-based choral composer Eric Whitacre is searching for hundreds of singers in a record-breaking attempt to form the the world's largest online choir.

A violinist who runs a community music school in Providence, R.I., and an eclectic jazz pianist and composer are among the 23 recipients of this year's MacArthur Foundation "genius grants."

Times Square has its colorful characters, but they were no match for the primeval collection of gods, nymphs and dwarves found in Wagner's Das Rheingold, which was transmitted live there Monday night.

Zarin Mehta, the president and executive director of the New York Philharmonic, has announced he will step down at the end of the 2011-12 season.

Tonight's gala opening of Wagner's Das Rheingold launches the biggest production in the Metropolitan Opera's history. Although the entire run is sold out, there are other ways to experience the opera.

Tonight at 7 pm, a one-hour special on what some claim to be "The Greatest Work of Art Ever." We explore how the grandeur and power of Wagner's monumental 'Ring' has permeated our culture.

Two concerts by the New York Philharmonic in the Republic of Georgia have been called off after the country cited unexpected budgetary constraints. The performances were to have taken place October 21 and 22.

Twenty-eight years after his death, pianist Glenn Gould still inspires, or provokes, interest. Genius Within, a new film documentary, explores his eccentric genius.

Slideshow: On a picture-perfect Wednesday morning, the WQXR team traveled to Lincoln Center Plaza to broadcast live in anticipation of the New York Philharmonic's opening-night gala concert.

Former tobacco executive Charles R. Wall is stepping in as chairman of New York City Opera, replacing Susan L. Baker, who has resigned.