Norway’s musicians’ union has called off a month-old strike that could have crippled the nation’s many state-supported symphony orchestras, after musicians accepted a draft settlement proposed by a mediator. “The strike began in Bergen in late May, disrupting the opening of the west coast city’s annual music festival. It later spread to the national Opera and the Oslo Philharmonic, which was forced to cancel its Asian tour. The musicians were protesting annual salaries that average NOK 350,000 ($58,300) and the fact that they have to pay for their own instruments and their own gala clothing that’s worn during performances.”