Mark Caro

The term "cultural ambassadors" is heard often when the Chicago Symphony Orchestra travels the world and performs in places where it rarely, if ever, has appeared before, countries such as Poland last week and Russia in 2012.

PARIS — Christina Smith was home in Atlanta strategizing with her fellow locked-out musicians of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra when she got the call: Could she join the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on its European tour as guest principal flute? Leaving in a week and a half? Performing some...

GENEVA, Switzerland — The Chicago Symphony Orchestra's visit to this Swiss city — with its requisite lake and mountain views; Old Town cobblestone streets and hilltop cathedrals; and sleek boulevards punctuated by high-end watch and chocolate shops — was the organization's...

— Transporting a 100-piece orchestra and all of its instruments, wardrobe and other cargo items from Chicago to five European cities was already complicated before the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service got involved.

LUXEMBOURG — Something notable that wasn't widely noted Tuesday was that Riccardo Muti conducted his 200th concert with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the modern Philharmonie concert hall.

You walk into the modern frozen yogurt emporium, and there they are, nozzle after nozzle boasting such flavors as Mom's Cake Batter, Salted Caramel Popcorn and Maple Bacon Donut beside container after container after container filled with such toppings as Cookie Dough Bites, Frosted Animal...

WARSAW, Poland — The woman welcoming members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to the Fryderyk Chopin Museum was more than a little happy to see them.

The pin-your-ears-back moment came on a song I'd heard thousands of times.