In mir singt ein Lied

Duration: 2 hours | Ages 0–99

Memories of music are hardly affected by dementia: “Singing together activates auditory memory and, as a result, also stimulates the surrounding brain regions. Participants literally awaken from their dementia, and energy flows once again. The experience of singing together is the foundation for reestablishing contact with one another,” says opera singer and certified trainer Maartje de Lint, summarizing her approach.
The sing-along concert also serves as a guide for caregivers, families, and loved ones to make daily interactions with people living with dementia easier. All participants sit in a circle and sing well-known songs together, accompanied by a pianist—each at their own vocal level. While they sing, de Lint gently engages with the participants and shows family members and caregivers how they can enhance the positive effects of singing. 
Over the course of her more than 25-year career as a singer, de Lint repeatedly observed during her concerts how people with dementia, in particular, became increasingly attentive and alert as they listened. Based on this observation, the Dutch-born singer developed the specialized BASE method—short for “Brain Awakening Singing Education”—which she uses as a structured approach in dementia care. She was supported in this endeavor by Wilco Achterberg, professor of geriatrics at Leiden University. The method has been continuously refined, is already practiced in numerous nursing homes in the Netherlands, and is now being applied in Leipzig for the first time.
The association “Selbstbestimmt Leben Leipzig und Umgebung e. V.” supports people with dementia and their families through counseling, guidance, and in-home care. The goal of this work is to make it easier to cope with dementia and to provide information and support on all issues related to dementia care. The primary focus here is on easing the burden on families’ daily lives by helping family members prepare for the progression of the disease and ensuring they can always access counseling and support as the condition advances. Support services for family members include, for example, training sessions for family members, self-help groups, and in-home care provided by the association’s volunteer groups.

Tickets will be available starting June 6, 2026, only at the opera box office and by phone.
Tickets may be exchanged if you are unable to attend at the last minute.