Bertelsmann Showcases Innovative Puccini and New Media Exhibition for Gütersloh’s Bicentennial Year

Bertelsmann Showcases Innovative Puccini and New Media Exhibition for Gütersloh’s Bicentennial Year

(IN BRIEF) Bertelsmann’s exhibition Opera Meets New Media – Puccini, Ricordi, and the Rise of the Modern Entertainment Industry continues to attract strong interest at Theater Gütersloh, drawing nearly 10,000 visitors since its late-October opening during the city’s bicentennial year. The exhibition showcases rare artifacts from the renowned Archivio Storico Ricordi, highlighting the relationship between opera and technological innovation in the early 20th century. Previously shown in Milan and Berlin with a combined 70,000 visitors, the exhibition integrates original historical materials with modern audiovisual installations, including AI-based artistic elements. Karin Schlautmann emphasized the exhibition’s resonance with current debates on media disruption and copyright, noting parallels between challenges faced by today’s media industries and those encountered by the music world more than a century ago. The exhibition remains open free of charge until January 4, 2026, with extensive supporting content available online.

(PRESS RELEASE) GÜTERSLOH, 11-Dec-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Bertelsmann is drawing strong public interest in Gütersloh with its acclaimed exhibition Opera Meets New Media – Puccini, Ricordi, and the Rise of the Modern Entertainment Industry, presented at Theater Gütersloh as part of the city’s 200th anniversary celebrations. Since its opening on October 29—launched in the presence of Mayor Matthias Trepper and distinguished guests—the exhibition has already welcomed nearly 10,000 visitors to the theater foyer. The show previously attracted 70,000 attendees across Milan and Berlin, underscoring its broad international appeal.

The exhibition blends historical depth with contemporary media innovation, showcasing rare manuscripts, documents, and artifacts from Milan’s Archivio Storico Ricordi, which has been part of Bertelsmann since 1994. These materials illuminate how opera intersected with emerging media technologies in the early 20th century. For the first time, they are being displayed in a multimedia format enriched with modern audiovisual installations, including an artistic AI animation.

Regarded as one of the most significant music archives in the world, Archivio Storico Ricordi holds thousands of priceless items tracing more than two centuries of Italian opera history. Through Culture@Bertelsmann, launched in 2012, the company continues its mission to safeguard and digitize the archive according to leading archival standards, making its cultural heritage increasingly accessible to the public.

“Opera Meets New Media brings fresh insight into the Puccini era while also connecting meaningfully with today’s discussions about new media and their transformative effects,” said Karin Schlautmann, Head of Bertelsmann Corporate Communications and responsible for the Archivio Storico Ricordi. “More than a century ago, the music industry faced disruptions similar to those confronting the media sector today, especially around copyright. We are thrilled by the exhibition’s reception so far and warmly encourage visitors to experience it at Theater Gütersloh until January 4.”

The exhibition is open to the public free of charge until January 4, 2026, from Thursday to Sunday between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., and on performance days starting one hour before regular admission.

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

A richly illustrated companion book, edited by Gabriele Dotto, is available from Prestel (Penguin Random House). Additional information and multimedia content can be found at operameetsnewmedia.com, while details about the Archivio Storico Ricordi are available at archivioricordi.com. Press photos, TV footage, and video interviews are accessible at bertelsmann.com/puccini.

Media Contact:

Mandy Berghoff
Spokeswoman / Communications Content Team
Phone: +49 (0) 5241 80 78063
mandy.berghoff@bertelsmann.de

SOURCE: Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA