The Archivio Storico Ricordi is considered one of the world’s most important music collections. The archive includes the estate of the Ricordi publishing house, which was founded in Milan in 1808 and acquired by Bertelsmann in 1994. Its inventory comprises about 7 800 scores, more than 31 000 letters, 6 000 photographs, as well as magazines, libretti, documents about Ricordi's company history, etc. The bulk of the collection consists of 19th and early 20th century documents relating to the "big five" composers Gioacchino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini.

News

Opera Meets New Media

Bertelsmann presents the interplay of opera and media in the early 20th century in a multimedia travelling exhibition to mark the 100th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini’s death. Numerous original documents from the Archivio Storico Ricordi, which is part of Bertelsmann, are also on display. Next stop: Musaeo Teatrale alla Scala, Milan

About the Archivio Storico Ricordi

The Archivio Storico Ricordi – A Bertelsmann Project

The Archivio Storico Ricordi is one of the world's most important privately owned music collections. As its owner, Bertelsmann bears the responsibility for this globally significant cultural asset.

A short history of the Archivio Storico Ricordi

7,800 handwritten scores, 15,000 letters, 10,000 libretti, 10,200 stage, costume and props designs....
100,000 archival items tell the story of 200 years of music history.

Superstars: Verdi and Puccini

The Ricordi Directors always had a good eye and ear for outstanding musical talent. At all times, the firm's portfolio contained the star composers of the time, most notably the“Big Five”. Out of these, Verdi and Puccini in particular hold a special position.

Rare Operas - Presented by Bertelsmann

Since 2017, Bertelsmann has been the main sponsor of Berliner Operngruppe, a group dedicated to staging rare operas in Berlin.

Archivio-Events

Concerts, exhibitions, access to large parts of the collections online: Bertelsmann is promoting the Archivio in many ways, trying to make it as accessible as possible to the general public.

Overview of the collections

The Collections

The collections of the Archivio Storico Ricordi today comprise of more than 100,000 archival items. As a result, the archive can be used for a near-complete documentation of the history of Italian opera in the 19th and early 20th century. To find out more, click on the images that will appear below.

Handwritten Scores

Printed Scores

Libretti

Iconographic Collection

Photographs

Posters and Periodicals

Letters and Company Documents