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"Some people say I'm unique, that there aren't other people with schizophrenia like me. Well, there are people like me out there, but the stigma is so great that they don't come forward." --Elyn Saks
The Center Cannot Hold: A Chamber Opera is a new musical work based on the best-selling memoir of the same name by Elyn Saks which will have its world premiere at UCLA. Dr. Kenneth Wells composed the music and is co-librettist. The idea of developing the new opera came about after Dr. Saks, Law Professor at USC and MacArthur Award winner, served as a guest speaker for a performance of Wells' first opera, The First Lady Opera. “Let’s collaborate!” said Saks after the performance; “OK” said Wells, “A research grant or an opera?” “Both,” Saks replied.
The opera is based on a period of hospitalization in New Haven when Dr. Saks was in law school. Several different hospitalizations in different institutions with different attending physicians were consolidated into one episode to simplify the story. While largely based on the book, some scenes, particularly those about providers, are fictionalized, based in part of experiences of Wells as a medical student and psychiatry resident during roughly the same period as Saks’ New Haven hospitalizations.
The opera is about a significant step in the road to recovery after Saks learned early in her life that she had a severe and persistent form of mental illness, paranoid schizophrenia. Although she struggled for years with acceptance of the diagnosis and alternatively accepted and resisted medications, she eventually learned that a combination of medication and psychoanalysis helped her maintain her coping and live a rewarding life.
Dr. Saks has lead a brilliant career and maintained a happy and loving marriage, and enjoys many friends and colleagues. The opera is not about all of those successes. This Opera, is about the first step: a turning point for a young woman facing overwhelming odds of succumbing to a devastating illness, who decides to do her best to live her life fully and ends up graduating from Yale Law School and developing a lasting friendship. This opera is about giving hope when hope seems lost, showing empathy to others, and ultimately fighting the stigma of mental illness.
The opera will be performed July 8th (7:30pm), 10th (3pm), and 16th (2pm) at the UCLA Louis Jolyon Semel Auditorium. For more information, please visit The Center Cannot Hold website at http://hss.semel.ucla.edu/tcch
Thank you for helping make our Opera possible! We'll make sure to thank you on Facebook!
In the Opera world, BEL CANTO means, "beautiful singing..." And that's what you'll get when you give at this level! Our cast will sing your praises in a thank you song.
You are the scribe (or Librettist) of our Opera! Actually, Dr. Wells and Dr. Saks are, but we want to give you a signed copy of Dr. Saks' memoir in which the opera is based in thanks for your incredible contribution to our Opera! (A $85 tax deductible gift).
Cantante means singer in Italian, so get ready for your very own 45 minute private singing lesson (or gift it to a friend or family member) with opera composer, Kenneth Wells for your incredible contribution to our Opera! (A $200 tax deductible gift)
The baton will be waved as you'll receive 2 VIP tickets to the performance of your choice which will include choosing your seats, valet parking, and a meet and greet with Ken and Elyn. With your gift you helped pay for the costumes worn by our cast and props. (A 488 tax deductible donation)
An opera just wouldn't be complete without the composer and for your incredible and generous donation, you will receive 2 VIP tickets to the opera performance of your choice along with choosing your seats and valet parking. You will also be invited to have dinner (for 2 persons in Westwood or Beverly Hills area) with The Center Cannot Hold composer, Kenneth Wells. With your gift you helped pay for the filming of the opera which we plan to share with the mental health community and so many others can watch and help us fight the stigma on mental illness. (A tax deductible gift of $888)