The Center Cannot Hold Part Two:
Recovery

Music by Kenneth B. Wells

Libretto by Kenneth B. Wells and Elyn Saks

Based on the Memoire by Elyn Saks

“I’m very happy that Part 2 focuses on some of the most important things in my life. It feels a little weird to have an opera written about you, but Ken is a wonderful musician as well as a wonderful psychiatrist, and I think it’s really brave to write an opera about my story.”

— Elyn Saks

The Center Cannot Hold Opera, Part II, is a follow-up to the first TCCH opera about Elyn Saks and her experience in law school coping with schizophrenia yet working through and completing law school. Part 2 describes her journey of joining faculty at USC and while coping with mental illness, falling in love.

Prelude: On her coming to Los Angeles to join USC law faculty, the three sides of Elyn Saks—her law school self, the mature Professor Saks, and her psychotic self, Lady of the Charts, review their history; and Elyn refers to her longstanding friendship with former law school student, Steve Behnke and her new psychoanalyst in Los Angeles, Kaplan. Scene 1: Elyn is welcomed

to Los Angeles and USC by colleagues and she considers the change and wonders; at the law library she meets librarian Will Vinet, touches his hand, and both are overwhelmed; she shares this with Steve and there is a reflection on the power of such a moment by the three Elyns, Will and Steve, in separate spaces. Scene 2: Elyn has a therapy session with Kaplan, and he reviews the meaning and issues for the three Elyns. He is concerned about Elyn’s ongoing psychosis and recommends increased medication, which Elyn resists but eventually agrees to as a “moment of truth.” Scene 3: Elyn teaches a session with law school students and discusses the case example of a medical student who injured herself; and the students discuss the challenge of having a leader with mental illness, including a law professor and Elyn reflects to herself on her experience. She has a brief session with Kaplan referring to meeting Will the librarian; and then meets Will and invites him to lunch. Scene 4: At her office Will shows up for lunch, they go out, as colleagues celebrate, and afterwards she discusses this with her assistant, and that Will has invited her out to a Poppy Grove. At the Poppy Grove, they celebrate beauty and see beauty of their love, celebrated by her colleagues.

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