Event 3

 ‘The Center Cannot Hold’ by Kenneth Wells is a remarkable opera that I believe skillfully ties together the realms of mental health awareness and art, resulting in a much expected thought provoking experience. Through this event I was able to understand an overall main theme of this course, that almost any passion no matter its subject can become a force of artistic expression. Through the art form of Opera and music, Wells  conveys the complexities of mental health struggles and promotes a greater understanding and empathy for those affected. A great takeaway that I understood from this event is that with enough passion and willfulness, anything can be turned into art as well as experiences. 

Another concept that stood out the most from this event was that this expression derived from the experience of another person and their book, making it extremely meaningful that this art form has found origins in Mental illness – and “from an insider's perspective”. Overall I found this event to be quite touching and empowering. As someone who has a mental disability I connected to the speakers and felt represented authentically. Just as professor Vesna stated earlier in the course, Art doesn't have to be just within one subject and it can be a part of science and topics such as mental illness. I would definitely refer this event to my fellow classmates, as it was very inclusive to those who live with mental health disabilities. 

Work cited

“The Center Cannot Hold Opera Overview.” YouTube, 16 Oct. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BnJ3K4sjxE.

“Elyn_saks_a_tale_of_mental_illness.” Элин Сакс: Психическое Заболевание - Взгляд Изнутри | TED Talk, www.ted.com/talks/elyn_saks_a_tale_of_mental_illness_from_the_inside/details?language=ru. Accessed 7 June 2023.

Salazar, David. “Exploring Mental Health in Kenneth Wells’ ‘the Center Cannot Hold.’” OperaWire, 9 May 2023, operawire.com/opera-profile-kenneth-wells-the-center-cannot-hold/. 

Images/Video

“The Center Cannot Hold Opera Overview.” YouTube, 16 Oct. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BnJ3K4sjxE.

Rosenberg, Abe. “UCLA Psychiatrist Composes Opera to Tell Hope-Filled Story about Schizophrenia.” UCLA, 8 July 2016, newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/ucla-psychiatrist-composes-opera-to-tell-hope-filled-story-about-schizophrenia.

“What’s It like to Have a Psychotic Episode?” NPR, 6 Feb. 2013, www.npr.org/transcripts/171270996.