A classical concert where you can get up, sing, dance… This is what the prestigious Musikverein in Vienna offers to an audience usually kept away from society.
Slightly atypical classical concerts are organized within the prestigious Musikverein, the Viennese temple of classical music. Called “Souvenir”, they take place in a room with spaced aisles, so that spectators can easily move around, because, although they are open to anyone who wants to try the experience, they are above all offered to people with dementia.
When the concert begins, the hall is packed. Here, the spectators do not have to worry about the gaze of others. They can leave the room whenever they want, sing, and even dance if they feel like it. The goal is to have a good time. The musical program, played on stage by a trio of musicians, is specially designed for them, to arouse their memory and their emotions. It does not last more than an hour, so as not to tire the spectators too much.
Overcome fear of others
“I’m 94 and thank God I can still see and hear!”, rejoices Maria, one of the spectators. She left her retirement home for a day to attend this concert with her caregiver. “For us, it’s complicated to go to a concert, but this one is wonderful and very beautiful. I myself played the zither and I am impressed by these young musicians. We are carried away from here, transported to another reality. It will remain a very beautiful memory!”
The aim of this initiative is also to restore a place for these people in society. Cellist Lucija Pejkovic is proud to participate. “I thought of some of my relatives and how happy I will be that they too can have such an opportunity.she explains. Because I’ve heard this talk before, how some people are afraid or intimidated by the idea of getting involved in social life. So I find it very encouraging that there is this kind of initiative, especially in such an important institution.” In Austria, around 150,000 people currently have dementia and this number is expected to double by 2050.