“Veteran Journeys,” an award-winning opera written by Dr. Kenneth Wells, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health professor of health policy and management and professor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine, that explores the struggles of America’s military veterans, will be performed for live audiences for the first time on July 22 and 24 in the auditorium at UCLA’s Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.
The opera is based on research interviews of veterans and family members conducted by RAND and UCLA over many years in addition to Wells’ experiences and those of his family members working with the veteran community. “Veteran Journeys” also touches on themes of recovery from homelessness and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Wells said he developed the opera, which will be performed in oratorio style, “to share stories of the journey to recovery for veterans and their family members and the collaboration among providers to serve them on their path to recovery.
The free performance is open to the public. The July 22 show will be at 7 p.m.; the July 24 show is at 3 p.m. Register for the event.
