Press Release | 12/11/2025

Great Interest in Bertelsmann Exhibition ‘Opera Meets New Media’ in Gütersloh

• Puccini exhibition at Theater Gütersloh has attracted nearly 10,000 visitors to date
• “Opera Meets New Media” remains open in the theater foyer until January 4, 2026
• Exhibition is open Thursdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on performance days one hour before regular admission

Gütersloh, December 11, 2025 – To mark the 200th anniversary of the city of Gütersloh, Bertelsmann is presenting its internationally acclaimed exhibition “Opera Meets New Media – Puccini, Ricordi, and the Rise of the Modern Entertainment Industry” at Theater Gütersloh. The multimedia exhibition, featuring documents and objects from Milan’s Archivio Storico Ricordi, has already welcomed 70,000 visitors in Milan and Berlin. It was officially opened on October 29 in the presence of Mayor Matthias Trepper and prominent guests. Since then, it has drawn nearly 10,000 visitors to the theater foyer.

“Opera Meets New Media” showcases treasures from the archive, which has been part of Bertelsmann since 1994, that illuminate the interplay between opera and media in the early 20th century. They are being shown for the first time in a state-of-the-art exhibition featuring innovative audiovisual installations, including an artistic AI animation.

The Archivio Storico Ricordi is considered one of the most important music collections in the world. It houses thousands of valuable documents and unique artifacts spanning more than 200 years of Italian opera history. Bertelsmann recognizes the responsibility that comes with preserving this cultural asset. As part of its “Culture@Bertelsmann” initiatives, established in 2012, the company is digitizing the archive’s holdings according to the latest archival standards and making them accessible to the public.

Karin Schlautmann, head of Bertelsmann Corporate Communications and responsible for the Archivio Storico Ricordi, says: “‘Opera Meets New Media’ sheds new light on the Puccini era while contributing to the current debates about new media and their disruptive influence. The exhibition highlights that more than 100 years ago, the music industry faced challenges as profound as those confronting the media industry today – for example, in the area of copyright protection. We are delighted by the strong interest in the exhibition and warmly invite everyone to visit it at Theater Gütersloh until January 4.

Opera Meets New Media – Puccini, Ricordi, and the Rise of the Modern Entertainment Industry
Until January 4, 2026: Thursday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and one hour before regular admission on performance days

Theater Gütersloh
Hans-Werner-Henze-Platz 1
33330 Gütersloh

Admission is free.

A richly illustrated companion publication to the exhibition, edited by Gabriele Dotto, has been published by Prestel (Penguin Random House).

Further information and multimedia content about the exhibition can be found at www.operameetsnewmedia.com/  and about the Archivio Storico Ricordi at www.archivioricordi.com  .

Press information, photos, TV footage, and video interviews about the exhibition can be found at www.bertelsmann.com/puccini  .

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services, and education company with about 75,000 employees that operates in some 50 countries around the world. It includes the entertainment group RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato Group, Bertelsmann Marketing Services, the Bertelsmann Education Group, and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company generated revenues of €19 billion in the 2024 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world.