Stewart Wallace's "The Bonesetter's Daughter" Opens Strong at San Francisco Opera; Premiere Run of Performances Sold Out

Stewart Wallace's The Bonesetter's Daughter, a multi-generational family epic with a libretto by Amy Tan based on her best-selling novel, opened last month at San Francisco Opera to critical acclaim worldwide and a sold out premiere run. Here is a sampling of what the press is saying about the new opera:

Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle:

The Bonesetter's Daughter explodes onto the stage in a burst of circus extravagance: acrobats flying through the air, the nasal squawk of Chinese reed instruments from the balcony, elaborate visuals centered around elemental images of fire and water.

Those effects signal to the audience that something new and strange is afoot, and the resultant air of excitement never entirely subsides. With its restless energy and its canny melding of Chinese and American artistic traditions, Bonesetter is a far cry from many an operatic premiere.

For all the spectacle on display, the deepest pleasures in this beautiful and richly affecting new work are far more intimate and more familiar. The piece draws on the reliable themes of musical theater - love, family, fate and death - and does it with almost unerring precision. This is a potent addition to the operatic repertoire and a triumph for both the company and general director David Gockley, who backed the undertaking.

read Joshua Kosman's full review here

Anthony Tommasini, New York Times:

The Bonesetter's Daughter is a work of total theater. Mr. Wallace incorporates aspects of Chinese music, including Hong Kong film scores, into his Western contemporary classical style. By immersing himself in Chinese music, he seems to have given a fresh, pungent jolt to his musical voice.

read Anthony Tommasini's full review here

Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times:

Stewart Wallace's The Bonesetter's Daughter, brought a welcome dose of operatic chinoiserie to the West Coast. The sounds of Chinese opera pervade the entire work. Except in minor instances, the Chinese characters are portrayed by Chinese singers, and the swooping character of their native music frequently infects their vocal lines. Wallace plays the same magical musical trick on the instrumental side. His lean, simple and direct style allows him to comfortably mingle Asian techniques with Minimalism, swinging pop and a considerable amount of sweeping Straussian vocal writing for the three women.

read Mark Swed's full review here

Harvey Steiman, MusicWeb-International:

Wallace has created a score that pulses with rhythmic life even when it seems to be in stasis... it all feels fresh and vibrant. It's a wondrous mix of sounds and sights, but the emotional core packs the biggest punch.

read Harvey Steiman's full review here

Dennis Harvey, Variety:

Its potent story is compelling, and the music and Chen Shi-Zheng's staging of the premiere production are adventuresome. Cross-cultural content should make "Daughter" attractive to other major international opera houses.

Read Dennis Harvey's full review here

Wiener Zeitung, Austria:

The world of opera has a new jewel in The Bonesetter's Daughter. Wallace's multi-layered and rich sound textures combine to great atmospheric effect.

read the Wiener Zeitung's full review here

The final performance of The Bonesetter's Daughter at San Francisco Opera takes place on October 3.