By ROBERT J. HUGHES [Wall Street Journal, 9 August 2008]

Next month, the San Francisco Opera presents the world premiere of "The Bonesetter's Daughter," based on the 2001 novel by Amy Tan, whose other books include "The Joy Luck Club" and "The Kitchen God's Wife." Ms. Tan wrote the opera's libretto (the text that goes with the music), her first. The music was composed by Stewart Wallace. "The Bonesetter's Daughter" tells the story of a Chinese-American woman and her immigrant mother. It is set in modern-day San Francisco and in the Chinese countryside during World War II. Ms. Tan spoke about the opera with the Journal.