The opera had its world premiere on July 8th, 10th, and 16th, 2016 at UCLA
CLICK BELOW TO WATCH THE OPERA IN ITS ENTIRETY
https://vimeo.com/182056462/906bb12479
Performers
Jamie Chamberlin: Law Student Elyn Saks
Rebecca Sjöwall: Professor Elyn Saks
Danielle Marcelle Bond: Lady of the Charts
Abdiel Gonzalez: Dr. Kerrigan
Jon Lee Keenan: Psychiatric Resident
Tim Gonzales: Dr. White
Cale Olson: Steve Behnke
Jennifer Wallace: Mrs. Saks
Steve Pence: Mr. Saks
Babatunde Akinboboye: Jefferson
Joseph Lopez: Rebel
Julia Aks: Val
Daniel Charleston: Eric
Kevin Dalbey: James
Chorus
Babatunde Akinboboye
Julia Aks
Elizabeth Anderson
Sarah Beaty
Aleta Braxton
Christina Bristow
Daniel Charleston
Kevin Dalbey
Tim Gonzales
Joseph Lopez
Jennifer Miller
Cale Olson
Jessica Rau
Orchestra
Eve Bañuelos: Flute
April Cap: Oboe
Virginia Figueiredo: Clarinet
Sumner Arano: Bassoon
Brian Shetland: Horn
Jaqueline Marshall: Harp
Emma Quinn: Harp
Benjamin Phelps: Timpani
Jeffrey Grant: Percussion
Leila Nassar-Fredell: Violin I
Mishkar Nuñez: Violin II
Christopher Ahn: Cello
Benjamin Pendergrass: Bass
Creative Team
Kenneth Wells: Producer
Elizabeth Lizaola: Co-Producer
Joseph Mango: Co-Producer
Stephen Karr: Conductor
Brendan Hartnett: Director
Brad Smith: Assistant Conductor
Rowan Smith: Stage Manager
Phillip Powers: Lighting Designer
Becca Jarrell: Asst. Lighting Design
Sheiva Khalily: Projection Designer
Brittany Cobb: Asst. Projection Design
Maggie Green: Costume Designer
The Center Cannot Hold Press
- Washington Post: “Turning madness into music: A former psychiatric patient’s life is now an opera”
- American Psychiatric Association’s Psychiatric News: “Psychiatrist Teams With Elyn Saks on Opera Depicting Psychosis”
- UCLA’s The Center Cannot Hold Press Release
- Huffington Post: “A Story of Living – and Thriving – with Schizophrenia”
- UCLA ArtSci Center Interview with Dr. Wells
- Lauri’s List Review of the Opera
- Daily Bruin: “Opera drawn from autobiography explores experience of schizophrenia”
- USC: Professor’s Life Story Proves Opera Worthy
How the Opera Came Together
Excerpt: Trio (Law School Elyn, Professor Saks, Lady of the Charts)
Performed by Jamie Chamberlin, Rebecca Sjowall, and Danielle Marcelle Bond
Excerpt: Steve Behnke Aria
Performed by Cale Olson