Putting a Complex Novel to Music.(Society and the Arts)(Amy Tan)(Interview)

Amy Tan writes the libretto for 'The Bonesetter's Daughter.'

On Sept. 13, the San Francisco Opera will premiere "The Bonesetter's Daughter," an opera based on Amy Tan's 2001 novel. Tan's libretto tells the tale of a troubled Chinese-American who, led by a ghost, travels into her immigrant mother's past and unearths their family's devastating secret history. Influenced by their research in China, Tan and composer Stewart Wallace created an American opera with Chinese roots. Tan spoke to NEWSWEEK's Vibhuti Patel in her New York loft. Excerpts:

Patel: What is "The Bonesetter's Daughter" about? Tan: It's about inheritance. At the heart of the story is the secret tragedy of my own family. Precious Auntie's character is emotionally based on my grandmother; LuLing is inspired by my mother, and Ruth, the writer, is like me. My grandmother's terrible tragedy of rape, suicide and voicelessness was passed down like DNA through generations. I've changed that past by reclaiming it.

Why turn it into an opera? I'd had film offers that I rejected because it's a long time away from writing. But my friend Stewart Wallace badgered me, saying this must be an opera. I have deep appreciation of music--I had 15 years of classical piano, I go to the symphony more than to the movies. So I reimagined the story to make it dramatic.

What was that process like? The story drives the opera, but it's all about music onstage. Stewart and I worked together, discussing the story, breaking it down structurally. By the time I wrote the libretto, it was clear that only what is absolutely essential gives power; too many words would dilute it. ...