NPR Classical

Mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves is retiring from the stage after a last performance as Maria in the Gershwins' Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera, and looking ahead to directing and mentoring.

A trio of amazing young musicians, from ages nine to 18, give jaw-dropping performances that will bolster your faith in the future of great music making.

Discover a broad range of this year's most compelling classical recordings, including symphonic booty-shakers, mystic violin, pipe organ prog and a guided tour of 18th century German chart-toppers.

Guitarist Sean Shibe pushes his instrument to the limit in new music written for him by Thomas Adès, and softens the vibe with intimate pieces by Bach, Mompou and the eccentric street musician Moondog.

Known for his intellectual and illuminating touch on the podium, the refined conductor was also surprisingly outspoken when it came to politics and his peers.

In a new album, the youngest ever Van Cliburn winner puts his own stamp on Tchaikovsky's undervalued set of piano pieces called The Seasons.

The Roots drummer and Oscar-winning filmmaker uncovers the connections between his recent Sly Stone documentary and his own life story.

On the new album Woodland Songs, Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate and the Dover Quartet collaborate on music with deep American roots.

The British composer was a generational success story before his death at 37 — yet keeping that legacy in view has always been a challenge, even during his lifetime.

The Lithuanian composer, now based in New York, creates layered, deliberate music that she hopes will grant listeners the freedom to enter an altered state of mind.