Amy Tan’s best-selling novel The Bonesetter’s Daughter is a multi-generational tale of family secrets, an evil curse and forgiveness. It has become the subject of a new opera by composer Stewart Wallace.

Set in both modern-day San Francisco and the Chinese countryside during the tumultuous events surrounding World War II, the story concerns a troubled Chinese-American woman who learns the horrible secrets of her immigrant mother’s past.

While it's not unusual for a composer like Wallace to be drawn to a best-selling novel, what is unusual is the author herself agreed to write the opera's libretto. Wallace and Tan worked in tandem over three years in creating the work, and took several trips to China as part of their research. Wallace, who is best-known for the 1995 opera Harvey Milk, incorporates the timbres and textures of Chinese music--including Hong Kong film scores--into a Western classical style score.

The opera was recorded live at the War Memorial Opera House during the 2008-09 season.

This broadcast was produced by San Francisco Opera, with technical production by the San Francisco Opera Sound Department.

For more information about this performance, visit the San Francisco Opera's Web site.

Stewart Wallace and Amy Tan on WNYC's Soundcheck