Performers from the New York City Opera used their talents Wednesday to desmonstrate against a planned move from Lincoln Center.

Musicians and singers from the opera staged a musical protest outside their longtime home.

They said they have already made concessions to prevent the planned move, and blamed the general manager and artistic director for poor leadership.

"We feel that George Steel is attempting to turn the New York City Opera into a minor presenting organization, and we are a major cultural institution in the City of New York, and in the United States and in the world, world-renowned," said orchestra committee chair Gail Kruvand. "And we deserve to stay in a world-renowned performing arts venue."

"The biggest fear that we all have right now is that we're going to lose an icon at Lincoln Center, and that City Opera will be no more," said President Tino Gagliardi of the Associated Musicians of Greater New York.

The opera approved the move as a way to cut costs.