- Launch of the multimedia exhibition at the La Scala Museum
- The exhibition tells the story of the extraordinary symbiosis between economic activity and artistic creativity at Puccini's and Casa Ricordi.
- Thomas Rabe: "The legacy of the Ricordi Archive leads back to the roots of a business with which Bertelsmann still has close ties today."
Gütersloh, October 24, 2024 – Around 10,000 people visited the Puccini exhibition organized by Bertelsmann's Milan-based Archivio Storico Ricordi in the spring at Bertelsmann's representative office in Berlin. Now there is a very special return: On April 25, 1926, Giacomo Puccini's last opera, Turandot – which was also to become one of his most famous – premiered at La Scala in Milan. To mark the 100th anniversary of Puccini's death, original documents from this very opera are now returning to one of the world's most famous opera houses. In the multimedia exhibition "Puccini – Opera Meets New Media" at the Museo Teatrale alla Scala, exhibits of unique cultural and music-historical value are being made available to the public, including scores, sketches, and sheet music with handwritten notes by Giacomo Puccini.
"Puccini – Opera Meets New Media" shows the interplay between opera and media in the early 20th century. Carefully curated by Gabriele Dotto, Ellen Lockhart, and Christy Thomas Adams, the exhibition recounts the extraordinary symbiosis of economic activity and artistic creation that distinguished Puccini and his publisher, Casa Ricordi, in the last century. Exhibits and installations also tell of the challenges that the new media of the time posed for existing copyright and rights management.
Thomas Rabe, CEO of Bertelsmann, says: "As owners of the Ricordi Archive, we are very aware of the significance of this world-class cultural treasure and take responsibility for its long-term preservation, maintenance, and development. At the same time, the archive's heritage leads back to the roots of a business with which Bertelsmann is still closely associated today: the marketing of music rights. For several generations, members of the Ricordi family were pioneers in copyright and rights management. Their commitment laid the foundation for artists and composers to be remunerated for their creative work and for that work to be protected as intellectual property. As a creative company with a history spanning almost 190 years, we are committed to honoring the creative and cultural achievements of previous generations.”
Culture@Bertelsmann
For many years, Bertelsmann has been involved in a wide range of cultural activities, both nationally and internationally. Culture@Bertelsmann activities include exhibitions, readings, and concerts, the literary format "Das Blaue Sofa" (The Blue Sofa), and efforts to preserve European cultural heritage. In addition to its commitment to the Ricordi Archive, Bertelsmann, as a company with a long history in film, is also committed to the restoration, digitization, and screening of important silent films.
Karin Schlautmann, head of Bertelsmann Corporate Communications and responsible for the Archivio Storico Ricordi, explains: "With Culture@Bertelsmann, we redefined the traditional field of culture beyond classic patronage and sponsorship in 2012 and made it part of a broad-based strategic communications effort. All of the company's cultural activities are bundled here and used for communication purposes. For Bertelsmann, this has created an additional pillar of strategic positioning as a company committed to the value and protection of creative content."
The exhibition "Puccini – Opera Meets New Media" will be on display at La Scala in Milan from October 24, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Further venues will follow.
"Puccini – Opera Meets New Media"
October 24, 2024 – January 12, 2025
Daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Museo Teatrale alla Scala, Milan
Largo Antonio Ghiringhelli 1
Numerous events at various venues in Milan will accompany the show before and during the exhibition period.
Prestel (Penguin Random House) has published a richly illustrated companion book to the exhibition, edited by Gabriele Dotto.
Further information about the exhibition and the various events can be found at www.operameetsnewmedia.de.
About the Ricordi Historical Archive
The Ricordi Historical Archive is considered one of the most important music collections in the world. Its holdings now include a wealth of unique documents spanning 200 years of Italian opera history, including 7,800 handwritten scores, more than 31,000 letters, 6,000 photographs, magazines, 10,000 libretti, and many other documents. Bertelsmann is aware of the responsibility that comes with owning this valuable cultural asset. The company is preparing the archive holdings in accordance with the latest standards and making thousands of documents, stage and costume designs, libretti, and business correspondence available online.
About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services, and education company with more than 80,000 employees and operations in around 50 countries worldwide. The group includes the entertainment company RTL Group, the book publishing group Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and the international fund network Bertelsmann Investments. The company generated revenues of €20.2 billion in fiscal year 2023. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination enables first-class media offerings and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world. Bertelsmann is pursuing the goal of climate neutrality by 2030.
