Seven tons of classic will go on a journey across the globe with DHL. The Bonn-based company is supporting the travelling exhibition "BTHVN on Tour" of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn as logistics partner and co-developer. The first stop will be the Leipziger Gewandhaus.
To this day his music has inspired people all over the world, and therefore the celebrations of his 250th birthday in 2020 should begin with a global event: Ludwig van Beethoven was already during his lifetime a celebrated composer and the greatest son of the city of Bonn. Accordingly, the Beethoven-Haus Museum takes the travelling exhibition "BTHVN on Tour" on a journey around the world. The memorial in the house of his birth has already commemorated the musician since 1893.
Close partnership with the Deutsche Post DHL Group
The Deutsche Post DHL Group with its headquarters in Bonn has been associated to the Beethoven-Haus in a trusting partnership already for a long time. The Group has developed and designed the contents of "BTHVN on Tour" in close coordination with the museum and at the same time acts as its logistics partner. "One of the best composers of all time, Ludwig van Beethoven and his work continues to enthrall people everywhere, even 250 years after his birth! It's a great pleasure for us to contribute to the 2020 celebration with this multimedia exhibit on Beethoven's life and work, and we're proud to offer our logistics expertise to make the exhibit available to people around the world,” says Frank Appel, CEO Deutsche Post DHL Group.
Opening at the Gewandhaus
The first stop is Leipzig. There, the exhibition will be opened in the Gewandhaus on March 26th, 2019, by its director Professor Andreas Schulz, Malte Boecker, head of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn and Arjan Sissing, head of Group Brand Marketing at the Deutsche Post DHL Group. Visitors can comprehend Beethoven’s life and work there until April 5th, 2019. After that the exhibits will be on display in various concert halls around the world until the end of 2020 - among others in the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, in Cincinnati, New York and Boston as well as in London, Warsaw, Brussels and Asia.
Careful Transport
The challenge for the logistics company is, in addition to the distance, the sensitivity of many exhibits to environmental influences. "The sensible and partly irreplaceable items of "BTHVN on Tour" are transported in special containers equipped with sensors and under ideal climate conditions," says Vincenzo Scrudato, Global Managing DHL Director Trade Fairs & Events GmbH, talking about the precautions on the world tour. Among the exhibits are, for example, some of the composer’s original ear trumpets.
Direct Access
"BTHVN on Tour" carries the idea of the jubilee into the world and offers the opportunity to discover him once again," says Malte Boecker, head of the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn. "Beethoven played a very important part in paving the way for modernism and a democratic development in the 21st Century." The exhibition is designed to enable an access as direct as possible to the exhibits present. These include both original objects as well as specially produced replicas.
Interactive Experience
Beethoven's world comes to life through multimedia elements. The steps from the sketchbook to the finished score are presented and the creative process can be experienced by means of a digital animation. An interactive timeline illustrates the stages of the composer’s life and the parallel historic events. Sound examples provide the visitors an impression of Beethoven's increasingly poorer hearing. At a photo-station there is the opportunity to become part of a big Beethoven photo-mosaic by taking a selfie. The photos can be posted online and worldwide so that the mosaic can continue growing steadily.
Over a distance of more than 50,000 kilometres
The Deutsche Post DHL Group is not only a sponsor of the Beethoven-Haus, but maintains many other prominent partnerships with persons and institutions in the fields of lifestyle, culture and sports. "It's no coincidence that we are kicking off the world tour at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig: The Gewandhaus Orchestra is linked to Beethoven's music in a very special way. In addition DPDHL Group is also the official logistics partner of the Gewandhaus Orchestra and so responsible for transporting the orchestra's valuable instruments and other necessary equipment whenever it goes on tour,” says Vincenzo Scrudato. DHL is optimally prepared for the forthcoming road and air transport of the exhibits which will be more than 50,000 kilometres.
