Culture@
Bertelsmann
As a creative content company whose history dates back nearly 190 years, Bertelsmann is involved in cultural efforts and activities at various levels, both nationally and internationally. The Group’s Culture@Bertelsmann activities focus on supporting cultural diversity and preserving important cultural assets. From exhibitions at the Archivio Storico Ricordi, to literary events on Das Blaue Sofa (The Blue Sofa), to the UFA Film Nights silent film festival, the Culture@Bertelsmann initiative makes culture accessible to a broad audience.
Ricordi Archive: A Year of Numerous Projects and Partnerships
The Bertelsmann Group owns the Archivio Storico Ricordi in Milan, which houses a wealth of unique testimonies from 200 years of Italian opera history. The archive is regarded as one of the most important music collections in the world and encompasses approximately 7,800 scores, more than 31,000 letters, 6,000 photographs, as well as magazines, libretti and documents. Bertelsmann is indexing the archive holdings according to the latest standards and making thousands of documents, stage and costume designs, libretti and business correspondence available online.
The Archivio Storico Ricordi was again involved in numerous cultural projects in 2023. In January, a significant part of the Archivio’s important photographic collections was made available online in its Collezione Digitale. In July, the Museo Caruso in Naples opened its doors, with the Ricordi Archive as its institutional and content partner. The special exhibition “Callas/Medea. Storia di un disco” (“Callas/Medea. History of a record”), a joint project between the University of Turin and the Archivio Storico Ricordi, opened in Turin in December. The exhibition tells the story of the famous 1958 recording of Cherubini’s opera “Medea” at La Scala in Milan, starring the famous singer Maria Callas in the title role. “Medea” was the first record released by the music publisher’s Dischi Ricordi label and has recently been reprinted by the Archive. Contemporary works of art specifically commissioned by MAXXI, the museum of contemporary art in Rome, for the exhibition “Opera Opera. Allegro ma non troppo,” originally shown in 2022 at Berlin’s Palais Populaire, have returned to MAXXI and were shown in a temporary exhibition in 2023. This includes a work by the Italian-German artist Rosa Barba entitled “NO – Orchestra con nastro,” co-produced by Bertelsmann and Archivio, which deals intensively with the work of Luigi Nono and was inspired by sources in the archive. A collectable, limited edition art-record was realized in collaboration with experimental label Die Schachtel to document the artwork. In fact, the Archivio Storico Ricordi is increasingly becoming a source of inspiration for artists from all over the world: in the podcast series “The Music Folder,” various musicians talk about how they experience the Archivio as both a space for experience and a place of discovery.
eMore information
eTo the photographic collection
The Archivio Storico Ricordi was again involved in numerous cultural projects in 2023. In January, a significant part of the Archivio’s important photographic collections was made available online in its Collezione Digitale. In July, the Museo Caruso in Naples opened its doors, with the Ricordi Archive as its institutional and content partner. The special exhibition “Callas/Medea. Storia di un disco” (“Callas/Medea. History of a record”), a joint project between the University of Turin and the Archivio Storico Ricordi, opened in Turin in December. The exhibition tells the story of the famous 1958 recording of Cherubini’s opera “Medea” at La Scala in Milan, starring the famous singer Maria Callas in the title role. “Medea” was the first record released by the music publisher’s Dischi Ricordi label and has recently been reprinted by the Archive. Contemporary works of art specifically commissioned by MAXXI, the museum of contemporary art in Rome, for the exhibition “Opera Opera. Allegro ma non troppo,” originally shown in 2022 at Berlin’s Palais Populaire, have returned to MAXXI and were shown in a temporary exhibition in 2023. This includes a work by the Italian-German artist Rosa Barba entitled “NO – Orchestra con nastro,” co-produced by Bertelsmann and Archivio, which deals intensively with the work of Luigi Nono and was inspired by sources in the archive. A collectable, limited edition art-record was realized in collaboration with experimental label Die Schachtel to document the artwork. In fact, the Archivio Storico Ricordi is increasingly becoming a source of inspiration for artists from all over the world: in the podcast series “The Music Folder,” various musicians talk about how they experience the Archivio as both a space for experience and a place of discovery.
UFA Film Nights Presents Masterful Shadow Plays in Historic Berlin
Bertelsmann has been organizing the popular UFA Film Nights silent film festival in Berlin for many years now, and as part of this, has also repeatedly acted as main sponsor for the digital restoration of important silent films. Bertelsmann Chairman & CEO Thomas Rabe says: “The archives contain many silent films that are now 100 years old or more. Without restoration, digitization and screenings, they would disappear – both physically and from public awareness. By organizing the UFA Film Nights, we make an active contribution to preserving this very unique cultural asset.”
Bertelsmann and UFA once again presented masterpieces of Weimar cinema in 2023: Around 1,000 silent-film fans flocked to Berlin’s Museum Island in August for the opening of the 13th UFA Film Nights to enjoy the impressive jealousy drama “Schatten” (“Warning Shadows”; 1923) by Arthur Robison. Max Mack’s 1913 crime comedy “Wo ist Coletti?” (“Where Is Colletti?”) is one of the first detective stories in German film history to be premiered in a digitally restored version. The 2023 UFA Film Nights concluded with Part II of Fritz Lang’s mammoth work “Dr Mabuse, the Gambler” (1922), following on from the screening of Part I in 2022. Each of the silent films was accompanied, live, by renowned artists playing music specifically composed for the occasion.
Highlights of the UFA Film Nights
eMore about the UFA Film Nights
Bertelsmann and UFA once again presented masterpieces of Weimar cinema in 2023: Around 1,000 silent-film fans flocked to Berlin’s Museum Island in August for the opening of the 13th UFA Film Nights to enjoy the impressive jealousy drama “Schatten” (“Warning Shadows”; 1923) by Arthur Robison. Max Mack’s 1913 crime comedy “Wo ist Coletti?” (“Where Is Colletti?”) is one of the first detective stories in German film history to be premiered in a digitally restored version. The 2023 UFA Film Nights concluded with Part II of Fritz Lang’s mammoth work “Dr Mabuse, the Gambler” (1922), following on from the screening of Part I in 2022. Each of the silent films was accompanied, live, by renowned artists playing music specifically composed for the occasion.
New Concept and International Guests for The Blue Sofa
With The Blue Sofa, Bertelsmann has been providing a stage for established and up-and-coming authors to talk about their latest books for over 20 years now. Until 2022, the literary format was jointly organized by Bertelsmann, ZDF, Deutschlandfunk Kultur and 3sat; since 2023, the Bertelsmann Group has continued The Blue Sofa on its own and with a new concept: more international, more digital and more interconnected. Bertelsmann reliably offers the world of books a stage at cultural events in various cities and as part of the major book fairs, including the “Leipzig liest” reading festival at the Leipzig Book Fair, the cultural symposium in Weimar, the opening of the OPEN BOOKS reading festival at the Frankfurt Book Fair and exclusive events in Luxembourg and Gütersloh.
In 2023, the Bertelsmann Representative Office in Berlin opened its doors for the first time for the renowned international literature festival berlin (ilb), welcoming authors from the international Penguin Random House cosmos. The Frankfurt Book Fair guest of honor – in 2023, Slovenia – was also welcomed in Berlin again and the start of the world’s largest book fair was celebrated at Bertelsmann Unter den Linden.
In 2023, the Bertelsmann Representative Office in Berlin opened its doors for the first time for the renowned international literature festival berlin (ilb), welcoming authors from the international Penguin Random House cosmos. The Frankfurt Book Fair guest of honor – in 2023, Slovenia – was also welcomed in Berlin again and the start of the world’s largest book fair was celebrated at Bertelsmann Unter den Linden.
Following last year’s successful premiere, a Luxembourg edition of The Blue Sofa was held again in 2023. Against the historical backdrop of Neumünster Abbey, the renowned historian and bestselling author Christopher Clark presented his latest work “Revolutionary Spring: Europe Aflame and the Fight for a New World,” whose German edition is published by DVA. The event at the Pierre Werner Cultural Institute, which was sold out with 300 visitors, attracted high-profile guests including ambassadors from Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland as well as the President of the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies Fernand Etgen and Luxembourg’s Minister of Culture Sam Tanson.
eRoland Kaiser at “Blue Sofa Gütersloh” event
ePinar Atalay Talks About Her Life
Prominent Guests and Podcast Premiere at The Blue Sofa in Gütersloh
Bertelsmann brought The Blue Sofa literary format to Gütersloh twice in 2023. The first event in March featured renowned physician and author Prof. Dr. Dietrich Grönemeyer presenting his book “Medizin verändern – Heilung braucht Zuwendung, Vertrauen und Mut zu neuen Wegen” (“Changing Medicine – Healing Requires Care, Trust and the Courage to Explore New Paths”), published by Ludwig, to the Gütersloh audience. In his most personal work to date, the well-known scientist describes what has shaped his understanding as a doctor; on The Blue Sofa, he spoke about his vision of medical care that focuses on people.
Christine Westermann and Mona Ameziane, two proven book experts, took a seat on The Blue Sofa in Gütersloh in November. In the sold-out Large Auditorium of the city’s theater, the two presented their book recommendations for the winter and recorded an episode of their successful literary podcast “Zwei Seiten” (“Two Sides”) live in front of an audience for the first time. By hosting The Blue Sofa in Gütersloh, Bertelsmann contributes to cultural diversity in the region while also introducing people at the Group’s headquarters to the Group’s creative diversity.
MClick here for the podcast
eMore about Christiane Westermann and Mona Ameziane
eMore about Prof. Dr. Dietrich Grönemeyer
Christine Westermann and Mona Ameziane, two proven book experts, took a seat on The Blue Sofa in Gütersloh in November. In the sold-out Large Auditorium of the city’s theater, the two presented their book recommendations for the winter and recorded an episode of their successful literary podcast “Zwei Seiten” (“Two Sides”) live in front of an audience for the first time. By hosting The Blue Sofa in Gütersloh, Bertelsmann contributes to cultural diversity in the region while also introducing people at the Group’s headquarters to the Group’s creative diversity.
Bertelsmann’s Local Commitment to Culture
For five days every summer, Dreiecksplatz in Gütersloh transforms into a cultural meeting ground where different musical styles come together. Bertelsmann regularly supports the “Woche der kleinen Künste” program (“Cabaret Week”) by bringing artists from its music company BMG to the stage in Gütersloh. In August 2023, jazz guitarist and singer Torsten Goods delighted the Gütersloh audience with his mix of jazz, soul and pop.
Children’s TV up close and personal: On a sunny September weekend, Bertelsmann and the city of Gütersloh presented the nationally popular “Toggo Tour” in the city center for the second time. Approximately 50,000 mainly younger fans came to see their favorites from Super RTL’s programs come to life.
eAll about the Toggo Tour in Gütersloh
Highlights of the Toggo Tour
Children’s TV up close and personal: On a sunny September weekend, Bertelsmann and the city of Gütersloh presented the nationally popular “Toggo Tour” in the city center for the second time. Approximately 50,000 mainly younger fans came to see their favorites from Super RTL’s programs come to life.
