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As part of an occasional series titled, "Musicians in their Own Words," organist Paul Jacobs discusses his upcoming marathon performance. On Saturday, Jacobs will perform all nine hours of Olivier Messiaen's complete organ works. Features in the series are produced by David Schulman and NPR's Jeffrey Freymann-Weyr.

Noi is a new film from Iceland about a disaffected Albino high school student. The film blends comedy and tragedy in its approach to its subject. Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan has a review.

French arts performers plan to strike as the Cannes Film Festival gets under way Wednesday in France. Actors, dancers, electricians and cameramen say government reforms have cut some of their unemployment benefits. Festival organizers scrambling to make sure the event is not shut down. NPR's Renee Montagne reports.

Thursday night marks the end of the NBC hit show Friends. After 10 seasons of widespread popularity, the comedy will now be seen only on syndicated reruns. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with James Poniewozik of Time magazine.

The principal cellist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic is celebrating the return of his missing 320-year-old cello. The $3.5 million Stradivarius was stolen from his front porch three weeks ago. Footage from a surveillance camera shows a man on a bicycle riding off with it. A nurse who found the instrument in a garbage dumpster could collect a $50,000 reward. NPR's Mandalit del Barco reports.

Alan Cheuse reviews Symptomatic, by Danzy Senna, a novel about a young California woman of mixed race who falls into a psychic tug of war with a colleague in New York City. It is published by Riverhead Books.

In modern China, writing generally has not been something done for pleasure. It has been a way to challenge readers to revitalize the country or to try to mold souls politically. Under Chairman Mao, literature was pure propaganda. But now, as China opens up to the west, literature is losing its political role, and critics say, its edge. NPR's Rob Gifford reports.

Alexander McCall Smith is the author of the hugely popular "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series. The Full Cupboard of Life, set in Botswana, is the fifth book in the series. Detective Precious Ramotswe is also back. She helps people in her close-knit community deal with the little incidents of life. Hear Smith and NPR's Scott Simon.

The rock band Phish, noted for its devoted followers and free-ranging concerts, announces that it will break up after their summer tour. Band members posted a notice on the group's web site Tuesday notifying fans of the decision. The group is scheduled to go on tour supporting its new album, out in June. Hear NPR's Melissa Block and critic Peter Shapiro.

Some audiophiles with compact discs older than 10 years are noticing pin holes, oxidation, or flaking in the aluminum layer of their CDs. "CD rot" is not a common problem, but it does challenge claims that CDs are indestructible. NPR's Steve Inskeep reports.