The independent ensemble l’arte del mondo, founded in 2004 by its artistic director Werner Ehrhardt, is characterised by a historically informed performance practice that does not stop there. Werner Ehrhardt and l’arte del mondo venture into unusual programmes with great artistic curiosity: musical-intercultural encounters, cross-genre projects, opera productions and excavations of forgotten works. In addition, l’arte del mondo regularly collaborates with renowned soloists. Many of its thirty CD recordings (mainly for Sony/DHM) have won awards. l’arte del mondo is Bayer Kultur’s permanent orchestra in residence and is sponsored as an ensemble by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The ensemble is based in Leverkusen.