Premiere of the Opera " The Center Cannot Hold, Part 3: Beyond Recovery" with Paintings by Gregg Chadwick


Credit: Courtesy of Gregg Chadwick

Opera Portrait of Elyn Saks

24”x36” oil on linen 2026

by Gregg Chadwick

What: Premiere of The Center Cannot Hold, Part 3: Beyond Recovery, an original opera composed by Kenneth Wells with a libretto developed in collaboration with Elyn Saks, based on her acclaimed memoir. The opera follows Saks through her marriage to her late husband Will Vinet, her journey to becoming a trained psychoanalyst; her cancer diagnosis, which she found far less stigmatizing than her mental illness; and her international recognition as an advocate for people living with serious mental illness. The production runs for approximately three hours with intermission and features a full cast of professional singers, chorus and chamber orchestra.

Who:

  • Kenneth Wells, MD, MPH — composer and librettist; Professor of Psychiatry and Health Services Research, UCLA
  • Elyn Saks — subject of the opera; Orrin B. Evans Distinguished Professor of Law, Psychology, and Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences, USC Gould School of Law; founder of the Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy, and Ethics
  • Gregg Chadwick - artist - B.A. Fine Arts UCLA, M.A. Fine Arts NYU. A series of oil on linen paintings inspired by the life of Elyn Saks were created by Gregg Chadwick for use in The Center Cannot Hold, Part 3: Beyond Recovery. 

When:

  • Saturday, June 27, 2026, 2:00–5:30 p.m. PDT
  • Sunday, June 28, 2026, 7:00–10:30 p.m. PDT
  • Monday, June 29, 2026, 7:00–10:30 p.m. PDT

Where: UCLA Semel Auditorium, 740 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90024 Also available via free YouTube livestream; please register on the event website to receive the livestream link.

Admission: Free and open to the public. https://hss.semel.ucla.edu/tcch3/

Background: Wells, a practicing psychiatrist who has spent decades working to reduce stigma around mental illness, composed his first opera on Saks' life 12 years ago. The trilogy, drawn directly from Saks' memoir and developed with her ongoing involvement, portrays three dimensions of Saks simultaneously: the person living in real time, the reflective professor and her experience of psychosis. Each performance will be followed by a post-show discussion; pre- and post-show surveys are also available for willing attendees as part of an optional research evaluation.

Press Opportunities:

Members of the media are invited to attend and record at a pre-show dress rehearsal ahead of the June 27 opening or during the main performances from June 27-29. Interviews with composer Dr. Kenneth Wells and, pending availability, Elyn Saks can also be arranged. Reporters unable to attend in person may also cover the event remotely via the livestream.

To arrange rehearsal/event access or interviews, contact UCLA Health media relations officer Will Houston at whouston@mednet.ucla.edu

More information: https://www.uclahealth.org/events/center-cannot-hold-part-3-beyond-recovery



Credit: Courtesy of Gregg Chadwick

Jefferson - Free from Restraints

24”x36” oil on linen 2026

by Gregg Chadwick



 

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