[stirring instrumental music] ♪ ♪ - OKAY?

- THE STORY STARTS OFF QUITE SIMPLY.

"THESE ARE THE THINGS I KNOW ARE TRUE.

"MY NAME IS LULING LIU YOUNG.

THE NAMES OF MY HUSBANDS WERE..." - [singing operatically] ♪ THESE ARE THE THINGS I KNOW ♪ - ALL OF MY STORIES ARE SO MUCH EMOTIONALLY BASED ON MY FAMILY.

SO MY GRANDMOTHER WAS RAPED BY A MAN WHO WAS WELL-TO-DO.

AND SHE HAD NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

SHE HAD LOST FACE.

AND SHE HAD TO JOIN THIS MAN'S HOUSEHOLD, BECAUSE SHE WAS NOW PREGNANT.

SHE FOUND THE ONLY WAY SHE COULD GAIN HER POWER WAS TO KILL HERSELF.

[Chinese percussion] THIS IS THE SAME WOMAN.

THIS IS MY GRANDMOTHER.

THIS IS ALSO MY MOTHER.

SHE IS A LITTLE GIRL.

ALL OF THESE WOMEN COMMITTED SUICIDE.

AND MY MOTHER ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT KILLING HERSELF.

SO YOU SEE THIS SENSE OF TRAUMA CONTINUING THROUGH THE AGES.

AND I JUST WONDER HOW MANY OF THEIR MOTHERS ALSO ENDED UP KILLING THEMSELVES.

SO MY GRANDMOTHER WAS THIS NAMELESS PERSON WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN IF I HADN'T WRITTEN ABOUT HER.

[exciting music] ♪ ♪ - THE OPERA EVOLVED VERY ORGANICALLY.

AMY AND I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE, I THINK, 1993.

THEN THIS BOOK THE BONESETTER'S DAUGHTER CAME OUT.

I DID KNOW THAT HER MOTHER AND HER EDITOR HAD BOTH DIED AND THAT THIS BOOK WAS REALLY WRITTEN IN A KIND OF FURY AFTERWARDS.

♪ YOUR WHOLE WORLD DESTROYED ♪ ♪ BLACK AS INK ♪ ♪ THIS LONGEST LASTING CURSE ♪ - I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE AN OPERA.

WHY DO THEY ALWAYS FEEL THAT A FORM THAT'S CREATED NOW HAS TO TURN INTO ANOTHER FORM?

SO IT JUST NEVER OCCURRED TO ME.

STEWART, HOWEVER, WAS BADGERED IN A WAY BY SERENA TANG, A MUTUAL FRIEND, TO WRITE SOMETHING FOR MY BIRTHDAY.

- AND I HADN'T READ THE BOOK, AND SO I TOOK THE FIRST COUPLE LINES OF THE BOOK, WHICH BEGINS, "THESE ARE THE THINGS I KNOW ARE TRUE."

AND I SET THOSE FOR A CAPELLA TRIO.

I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WERE THREE WOMEN IN THE BOOK.

- AND HE GAVE IT TO ME.

AND I THOUGHT, "WOW, THAT IS REALLY SWEET."

YOU KNOW, HE SPENT ALL THAT TIME AND WROTE THIS MUSIC, AND, YOU KNOW.

AND SO--WELL, AFTER THAT, STEWART COULDN'T GET THIS OUT OF HIS MIND.

- I CALLED HER UP AND I SAID, "LOOK, YOU HAVE TO TALK TO ME NOW."

AND SHE SAID, "OKAY."

I SAID, "I NOT ONLY KNOW THAT THIS HAS TO BE AN OPERA.

I KNOW HOW TO DO IT."

♪ THEY'LL SAIL TO AMERICA ♪ ♪ AND CHANGE THEIR NAME ♪ ♪ NO DAUGHTERS TO WEEP OR SWEEP YOUR ASH ♪ ♪ NO SONS TO BURN OFFERINGS ♪ ♪ NO COMFORT OR PEACE IN THE LAND OF SHADES ♪ - I NEVER EXPECTED I WOULD GET INVOLVED TO THE DEGREE THAT I HAVE NOW IN THE MAKING OF THIS AS LIBRETTIST.

- DID YOU SAY "THE OPERA CHORUS FROM HELL"?

- YEAH.

...YOU DON'T NORMALLY GET TO SEE.

IT'S NOT A CHINATOWN, YOU KNOW, PARADE.

IT'S ALSO NOT A STANDARD AMERICAN OPERA.

- ALL RIGHT, SO THESE ARE ALL THE ONES THAT YOU CAN PROJECT ONTO, RIGHT?

- YEAH, YEAH.

- SO THEY'RE LIKE SILHOUETTES.

- YEAH, THEN THIS IS-- - I NEVER THINK ABOUT HOW AMBITIOUS SOMETHING IS WHEN I START IT.

WE HAVE A CHINESE PERCUSSION SECTION, OPERA SINGERS, MANY OF WHOM WERE BORN IN CHINA, AND CHINESE ACROBATS.

THERE WOULD NEVER BE AN OPPORTUNITY IN CHINA TO WORK TOGETHER.

SO TO BRING ALL THOSE ELEMENTS TOGETHER, IT'S A MONUMENTAL UNDERTAKING.

- ONCE THIS COMES OUT, IT STAYS OUT.

SO THAT COMES OUT FIRST LOOKING LIKE THAT.

- MM-HMM.

- IS THAT ANYWHERE NEAR WHERE THE WATERFALL-- - THE WATERFALL IS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER UPSTAGE.

- I SUPPOSE WE COULD HAVE A HOLE IF IT'S JUST TWO FEET.

- THAT'S 1,000 GALLONS OF WATER.

- IS THIS THE PROJECTION SURFACE?

- YES, EXACTLY.

- THE GENERAL DIRECTOR OF THE SAN FRANCISCO OPERA, DAVID GOCKLEY, IS KNOWN FOR COMMISSIONING NEW WORKS.

HE BELIEVED IN US AND TOOK A RISK.

IT'S VERY DIFFERENT FROM WRITING A NOVEL.

THAT VARIABLE ABOUT PUBLIC PERFORMANCE IS A SCARY ONE.

[discordant music] ♪ ♪ - MY NAME IS QIAN YI.

I PLAY PRECIOUS AUNTIE, THE GRANDMOTHER.

- QIAN YI, I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU: PARTS OF THE LIFE THAT WENT INTO THE STORY, SO YOU CAN READ ABOUT THOSE PARTS THERE.

MY GRANDMOTHER PEOPLE THOUGHT OF AS A WEAK PERSON, A VOICELESS PERSON.

AND THE WAY SHE GOT HER STRENGTH IS TO FINALLY DO WHAT IS DESTRUCTIVE.

- SO I COME OUT LIKE THIS.

SO I HOLD UP TO SHOW THEM I HAVE THIS BONE.

THEN I STOP WITH THE PERCUSSION.

THEN I SAY, "A TOAST TO YOUR ANCESTORS."

♪ LET THEM ROAST LIKE PIGS ♪ ♪ THEY'RE PIGS ♪ - CAN WE DO IT AGAIN?

- ♪ NOW I VOMIT IT ♪ SHOULD I DO... - [speaking foreign language] [speaking English] - [singing eerily] - WHEN THE EMOTIONS ARE SLIGHTLY OFF, THERE IS MORE OF A CONCERN, BECAUSE IT'S DERIVED FROM REAL EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES IN MY LIFE.

- [singing wistfully] ♪ ♪ - I DIDN'T KNOW MY GRANDMOTHER'S REAL NAME UNTIL THE DAY MY MOTHER DIED.

I HAD TO GO BACK TO CHINA WHERE THE STORY BEGAN.

[cattle mooing] - [singing emotionally] - MY MOTHER HAD OTHER CHILDREN FROM HER FIRST MARRIAGE IN CHINA.

TWO OF MY HALF-SISTERS STILL LIVE THERE.

WE WENT TOGETHER, ME FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO THE HOUSE WHERE OUR GRANDMOTHER LIVED AND DIED.

- ♪ IMMORTAL HEART ♪ - AND HOW OLD IS THE HOUSE?

- THIS IS MAYBE OVER 100 YEARS OLD.

- [speaking foreign language] - AND SO SHE PROBABLY DIED HERE.

SHE DIED HERE.

- YEAH.

- THE STORY MOM SAID TO ME WAS, SHE CAME HERE TO PLAY MAH-JONGG.

THEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, HE RAPED HER.

- YEAH.

- MOM SAID THAT SHE WOULD CRY A LOT AND SAID, "DON'T BE LIKE ME.

THIS IS A SHAME YOU CAN NEVER WASH OFF YOUR BACK."

SHE ATE THE POISON.

SO IT TOOK HER THREE DAYS TO DIE.

I HEARD SHE WANTED TO DIE AT NEW YEAR BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE VERY BAD LUCK.

THE GHOST WOULD COME BACK.

SHE WAS GOING TO COME BACK AND BE VERY ANGRY.

[stirring music] ♪ ♪ - MY MOTHER GREW UP KNOWING THIS SUICIDE.

I DIDN'T KNOW IT, SO SHE'S ALWAYS SAYING, "THIS IS WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.

THEN YOU'LL WANT TO KILL YOURSELF."

SHE MARRIED A MAN WHO WAS BEATING HER, TOOK ANOTHER WIFE, TOOK A CONCUBINE.

SHE TRIED TO KILL HERSELF.

HER LIFE WAS TERRIBLE.

THAT WAS WHY SHE LEFT CHINA.

SHE WENT TO SAN FRANCISCO, AND LEFT HER OTHER DAUGHTERS BEHIND.

SHE KEPT THE SECRET OF THE FIRST MARRIAGE, THE OTHER CHILDREN.

FOR ME TO DISCOVER THIS AS AN AMERICAN GIRL WHO NEVER WENT THROUGH ANY OF THIS, IT'S CAUSED ME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT GETS PASSED ON TO US GENERATION AFTER GENERATION.

- ♪ AND PULL ACROSS ♪ NO, THIS IS NOT GOOD.

THIS IS TOO PRETTY.

♪ PULL ACROSS ♪ MY NAME IS NING LIANG.

I PLAY LULING, THE MOTHER.

- MY MOTHER, SHE REALLY WENT CRAZY.

IT COULD JUST-- JUST LIKE THAT.

"OKAY, I'M CRAZY.

"KILL MYSELF, RUN IN THE STREET.

ALMOST GET RUN OVER."

MY MOTHER USED TO POINT TO THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO PEOPLE AND SAY, "SEE?

SEE WHAT CAN HAPPEN?"

- MM-HMM.

- WHEN I WENT TO-- A LITTLE GIRL DOWN THE STREET, SHE DIED.

SHE WAS MY FRIEND, AND SHE'S LYING IN THIS COFFIN, AND MY MOTHER, LIKE, "AHH!"

I'M SIX, AND SHE SAID, "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER."

[laughter] - THAT'S TERRIBLE.

- OH, MY GOD.

[exciting music] ♪ ♪ - [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ - ♪ TO FAMILY!

♪ - THE FIRST SCENE IN THE OPERA TAKES PLACE IN THE FOUNTAIN COURT RESTAURANT IN SAN FRANCISCO IN WHICH THE FAMILY IS GATHERED, WHICH IS NO LONGER, BUT WHICH WAS A FAVORITE OF AMY'S MOTHER'S.

- SO THE MOTHER IN THIS OPERA IS SAYING WHAT SEEMS TO BE INAPPROPRIATE THINGS.

SHE HAS WITNESSED, IN HER MIND, O.J.

SIMPSON KILLING HIS WIFE.

- [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ - MY MOTHER BELIEVED SHE HAD WATCHED O.J.

KILL NICOLE BROWN.

WE WERE AT A FAMILY DINNER, AND WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT THINGS.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, SHE SAID, "I WAS THERE.

I WAS IN THE BUSHES HIDING."

AND THEN SHE ACTS IT OUT.

"I WAS IN THE BUSH, AND I SAW.

"AND THE GUY CAME UP AND THE FRIEND, "AND THEY WERE LAUGHING.

AND THEN HE DOES," YOU KNOW.

SHE DID EXACTLY THAT.

- [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ - AS I ARGUED WITH HER, "NO, IT COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN," I REALIZED SHE HAD ALZHEIMER'S.

AND THAT ALSO MEANT SHE WAS GOING TO CHANGE AND EVENTUALLY DIE.

I WAS SEEING THE DISINTEGRATION OF HER MIND.

- [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ - SHE DID INDEED SEE THINGS.

THAT TRAUMA OF MY MOTHER LOSING HER MOTHER, SEEING HER DIE... - [singing mournfully] ♪ ♪ - MOM?

YOU'RE CONFUSED.

- [singing dramatically] - LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, 15 MINUTES.

[all talking at once] - STAY WITH THE MOTHER.

SAY, "HARMONY IS FAMILY."

IT'S LIKE FAMILY PICTURE.

- ♪ WHY SO OFFENSIVE WANT TO KISS BOYS?

♪ - SHARP.

- TOO SHARP?

- NO, NO, NO.

STRONG.

GESTURES HARDER.

- ANGRY.

- "PANTIES!"

- ♪ YOUR PANTIES NEXT ♪ - YEAH.

- I AM ZHENG CAO, AND I PLAY RUTH.

AMY KEEPS SAYING TO ME, SHE SAYS, "WELL, WE'RE NOT GONNA TELL PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE PLAYING ME."

♪ YOU LOSE YOUR MIND ♪ ♪ THE FANCY DRESS ♪ ♪ YOUR PANTIES NEXT ♪ NO, WHAT'S YOUR MOM GONNA SAY?

BUT I OFTEN ASK HER, "AMY, HOW WOULD YOU REACT?"

AND SHE WILL TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED THAT INCIDENT, BECAUSE IT REALLY DID HAPPEN.

♪ YOUR PANTIES NEXT ♪ - YEAH.

OKAY, NO.

YOU'RE THE LITTLE GIRL WATCHING YOUR MOTHER, AND YOU'VE BECOME YOUR MOTHER.

♪ SHE SAID ♪ OKAY, NOW FAST.

- ♪ AND NOT ♪ - YES, EXACTLY.

- I LOOK AT HER.

ALL I CAN SAY WAS, "YOU KNOW, I HAVE NEVER PLAYED A LIVE CHARACTER BEFORE.

"ALL MY CHARACTERS ARE DEAD.

"I DON'T WANT YOU SITTING THERE OPENING NIGHT SCREAMING AT THE AUDIENCE, 'THAT'S NOT ME!'"

YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE MY WORST NIGHTMARE.

- I THINK IF YOU LOOKED AT PLAYS, THESE PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT EVERY MOVEMENT, TURN, EXPRESSION.

AND IT WOULD BE A GREAT MODEL, YOU KNOW, FOR-- 'CAUSE I DON'T REALLY-- I'M DOING IT BY INSTINCT, ONLY BECAUSE I KNOW THE CHARACTER AND I KNOW THIS STORY.

- [speaking foreign language] - TOO MUCH.

- I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE HIGHLY STYLIZED.

- YEAH.

- I THINK AMY JUST NEEDS TO SEE IT, YOU KNOW.

- SO IS THIS STYLIZED OR NATURALISTIC?

WITHOUT GETTING TOO... - LIBRETTO BY AMY TAN, BASED ON HER NOVEL, WHICH IS BASED ON HER LIFE, WHICH IS BASED ON HER MOTHER'S LIFE, WHICH IS BASED ON HER GRANDMOTHER'S LIFE.

AND THAT'S IT.

THAT IS THE THING THAT IS THE FOUNDATION OF THIS OPERA.

AND YOU CAN'T CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

YOU CAN'T CHANGE WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED THAT LED TO THIS.

[stirring music] ♪ ♪ - ONE OF THE UNIQUE ASPECTS OF THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IS THAT ALL OF US CARRY A KIND OF IDEALIZED NOTION OF WHERE OUR PEOPLE COME FROM, WHERE THEY'RE ROOTED, WHAT TRADITIONS THEY BRING, WHAT PHOBIAS, WHAT FEARS, WHAT CRAZINESS, WHAT BEAUTY.

AND AS WE GET MORE AND MORE REMOVED FROM THAT, IT BECOMES THIS KIND OF MYTHIC PLACE.

[cymbals crash] MY FATHER IS FIRST-GENERATION AMERICAN.

HIS PARENTS CAME FROM A SMALL SHTETL OUTSIDE OF KIEV IN THE UKRAINE.

THEY WERE RUSSIAN JEWS.

THEY SPOKE DIFFERENTLY THAN US.

AND THEY CAME FROM WHAT I SAW AS A MAGICAL, VERY DISTANT PLACE.

- [singing in foreign language] ♪ ♪ - BEFORE I STARTED TO WORK ON THIS OPERA, I HAD NO APPRECIABLE EXPOSURE TO CHINESE CULTURE.

I LIVE IN NEW YORK ADJACENT TO CHINATOWN.

I GREW UP EATING CHINESE FOOD EVERY WEEK-- JEWISH FAMILY.

- [singing in foreign language] ♪ ♪ [small explosion] - OOH!

FIRE-- - [singing in foreign language] ♪ ♪ - WOW.

- [singing in foreign language] ♪ ♪ - THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE LEARNING CURVE FOR ME.

BUT IT'S LEFT ME OPEN TO THINGS THAT PERHAPS I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ACCESS TO.

- [singing in foreign language] ♪ ♪ - MY OBJECTIVE WHEN I STARTED WRITING THE OPERA WAS TO WRITE THE OPERA IN MY OWN LANGUAGE AND IN MY OWN MUSICAL VOICE BUT TO MAKE IT FEEL LIKE CHINA.

AND THAT WAS A VERY EASY THING TO SAY.

IT WAS A HARDER PROBLEM TO CRACK.

AND SO I SAID, "I WANT TO GO AND SEE CHINA EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH THE PRISM OF MUSIC."

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

[all singing in foreign language] ♪ ♪ [bright music] ♪ ♪ - WHAT I SAW WAS STEWART'S EXCITEMENT AS A COMPOSER AS HE WOULD UNCOVER ELEMENTS IN THIS PAST.

[bright music] ♪ ♪ - I WANTED TO SEE AND FEEL AND EXPERIENCE THE MUSIC, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I ENDED UP IN THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY PLACES, HAVING THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY KINDS OF EXPERIENCES.

AND THOSE THINGS REALLY AFFECTED WHAT I AM DOING FOR THE OPERA WITH MUSIC.

[joyous music] [all shouting] - DURING THE COURSE OF THIS RESEARCH IN CHINA, I MET A GREAT MUSICIAN.

[percussive instruments tapping and clicking] LI ZHONGHUA, THE PERCUSSIONIST WHO IS FROM ONE OF THE BEIJING OPERA TROUPES.

WHEN SHE SEES HIM AS A GHOST, HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?

AND WE ASKED HIM THIS QUESTION, "WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE FOR A GHOST TO SPEAK TO A LIVING PERSON?"

HE SAID, "AH, I'VE GOT IT."

SO HE GOT UP, AND HE PULLED UP THE SHALUO, WHICH IS THE LITTLE GONG.

AND IT... [imitating high-pitched gong] AND THEN HE GOES LIKE THIS, TAKES HIS HANDS, AND HE GOES... [gong crashing] - [speaking foreign language] - IT WAS LIKE AN EXPLOSION IN MY HEAD, BECAUSE I REALIZED THAT HE WASN'T JUST PLAYING NOTES.

HE SAW EVERYTHING AND THAT THE IMAGES, THE TEXT, THE SOUND, THE COSTUMES, THE GESTURES, THE MOVEMENTS, ALL OF THAT WAS PART OF THE SAME THING FOR HIM.

AND I REALIZED VERY CLEARLY AT THAT MOMENT THAT WE COULDN'T JUST TEACH SOMEBODY TO PLAY THOSE INSTRUMENTS, THAT WHAT WE WOULD LOSE IS THAT WHOLE WORLD.

[gong crashes] - [singing in foreign language] ♪ ♪ IN CHINESE OPERA, THE DRUMMER IS THE CONDUCTOR.

IF WE PERFORM TOGETHER, HE JUST KNOWS HOW TO FOLLOW ME.

[scattered percussion] ♪ ♪ CHINESE OPERA DISCIPLINE IS, YOU'RE ALWAYS IN A CHARACTER.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF I SING, "OH, THE GARDEN IS SO BEAUTIFUL," SO I'M ABLE TO CONVINCE AN AUDIENCE THAT I'M THE CHARACTER, I'M IN THE GARDEN, ALTHOUGH THERE'S EMPTY STAGE.

[singing in foreign language] ♪ ♪ SO MY EYES SURPASS MY FINGER, THEN GO OVER HERE AS IF I'M SEEING ALL THE FLOWERS AND TREES IN THE GARDEN.

AND THEY JUST FOLLOW ME.

SIMPLE, SIMPLE, BUT THAT KIND OF UNDERSTANDING IS KIND OF DEEP.

- ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, ZHONGHUA.

- AH, BA, BA, BA, GA, GA, GA. - TIKKA, TIKKA, TIKKA, AH-BA-DA.

JUST PLAY WITH IT.

[drumming] HERE AT 126.

THE REHEARSAL TIME IN BEIJING WITH ZHONGHUA AS MY GUIDE AND TEACHER, HE'S THE ONE WHO'S HELPED ME SEE WHAT COULD BE REALIZED.

WE DON'T SPEAK A WORD OF EACH OTHER'S LANGUAGE.

BUT WE MANAGED TO COMMUNICATE.

SO HERE.

- AH, "DONG, BA-DA.

DA-BA, DIGGA, DIGGA... - DONG, BA-DA-BA-DA.

- DOING, DA, DA, DA.

- RIGHT?

YOU START HERE.

AND THEN ALL THE OTHERS GO OUT HERE.

- AH.

[suona squealing] ♪ ♪ [exciting music] ♪ ♪ - [speaking foreign language] [cheers and applause] AMY, WHEN SHE WROTE THE FIRST WORDS FOR THE OPERA, EITHER CONSCIOUSLY OR NOT, SHE STARTED IT SORT OF LIKE A CHINESE OPERA.

YOU KNOW, EACH PERSON COMES FORWARD, AND THEY SAY, "THIS IS WHO I AM.

"YOU KNOW, I'M THE APOTHECARY.

"I LIVE IN THIS LOUSY BUILDING.

"I DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY.

NOBODY COMES TO BE MY CUSTOMERS."

THIS IS A WAY A CHARACTER WOULD INTRODUCE THEMSELVES IN CHINESE OPERA.

SO AMY SAYS, YOU KNOW, "MY NAME IS LULING LIU.

I WAS BORN IN IMMORTAL HEART."

SAME THING.

- ♪ MY NAME IS LULING LIU ♪ - [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ - WHEN I WENT TO MEET ZHONGHUA ABOUT DOING THIS OPERA, WE ASKED HIM, "WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED?"

"YES."

"HAVE YOU EVER WORKED WITH A WESTERN ORCHESTRA?"

"NO."

- BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE FOUR CHINESE PERCUSSIONISTS LED BY LI ZHONGHUA.

[applause] NOW, THEY HAVEN'T DONE TOO MANY OPERAS WITH ORCHESTRA.

[laughter] AND WE HAVEN'T DONE A LOT WITH THEM.

SO I THINK IT MIGHT TAKE JUST A LITTLE TIME FOR US TO GET USED TO IT.

WE'VE PUT PLEXIGLAS IN FRONT OF THEM.

THE INSTRUMENTS ARE QUITE LOUD.

WE HOPE THIS IS ENOUGH.

WE CAN ALWAYS PUSH THEM FARTHER BACK IF WE NEED TO.

BUT I THINK THEY REALLY BRING AN INCREDIBLE COLOR.

I WILL BEGIN TO CONDUCT IN BAR 19.

SO THERE'S AN ENTRANCE OF THE CHINESE MUSICIANS BEFORE WE START.

OKAY?

[bombastic music] ♪ ♪ - ZHONGHUA CAME FROM A PLACE WHERE HE WAS MASTER OF HIS OWN WORLD, KNEW EVERYTHING, IS IN ABSOLUTE CONTROL, AND COMES INTO A SITUATION IN WHICH HE HAS NO CONTROL.

[distressing music] ♪ ♪ - EEE-YAH!

[clanging music] ♪ ♪ GOOD.

TWO THINGS.

CHINESE PERCUSSIONISTS, IT WOULD BE TERRIFIC IF YOU REALLY START THAT EIGHTH NOTE AS WRITTEN.

THEY TEND TO SOUND A LITTLE LATE HERE.

KEEPING IN MIND IN BAR 35, WE HAVE TO COMBINE THE LENGTH OF THE DOTTED HALF.

THAT'S CORRECT.

BUT IT'S NOT HEAVY.

AND THE SAME THING IN 43.

BA-DA.

YOU CAN SLIGHTLY SHORTEN THAT SECOND QUARTER.

- CHINESE OPERA SINGERS, EVERYTHING GOES WITH THEM.

BUT HERE I HAVE TO HEAR THIS INNER BEAT INSIDE OF ME EBB AND FLOW.

CH-CH-CH, CH-CH-CH, CH-CH-CH.

IT'S DRIVING ME NUTS KNOWING THAT, HOW CAN I DO WITH, "CH-CH-CH"?

SO AND WHEN I REALLY DO, "CH-CH-CH," THEN I WILL TRY TO SING IT, AND OF COURSE, IT WAS TOO FAST.

AND IT JUST REALLY DRIVES ME NUTS.

[discordant music] ♪ ♪ - SO ALL THREE OF YOU, THE ORCHESTRA IS GIVING A GREAT RHYTHMIC PULSE FOR YOU.

SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO HOLD ON TO IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, BECAUSE RIGHT THERE, WE LOSE THE POCKET OF RHYTHM.

[scattered music] OKAY, OKAY, THAT'S GOOD.

THAT WAS GOOD, THOUGH.

THE BEGINNING WAS GOOD.

TRY IT AGAIN.

- GOING.

[building percussion music] ♪ ♪ - OKAY, GIVE ME AN UPSTAGE CUT OFF THE WALL.

[crashing music] ♪ ♪ - [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ MY NAME IS HAO JIANG TIAN.

MY ROLE IS CHANG.

HE'S A COFFIN MAKER, A RAPER, A KILLER.

THIS IS THE MOST EVIL CHARACTER I HAVE EVER PORTRAYED.

AND--BUT I'M VERY EXCITED.

[singing operatically] ♪ ♪ IT'S NOT EASY TO PLAY EVIL ONSTAGE, BECAUSE I THINK, "I'M A NICE MAN."

- CHANG, THE COFFIN MAKER, OUR TRADITIONAL OPERA VILLAIN.

INCREDIBLY VILE.

I WANTED HIM TO ALWAYS, FOR EXAMPLE, REFER TO HIMSELF IN THE THIRD PERSON.

"CHANG HAS EATEN," YOU KNOW.

"COFFINS BY CHANG."

- [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ - LET'S HOLD, PLEASE.

- AGAIN.

- I WAS THINKING TO TRY TO GET SOME SENSE OF COFFINS.

I ASKED PEOPLE TONIGHT WHO ARE SEEING THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

AND I DON'T WANT TO JUST SAY WE'RE GONNA BUILD A COFFIN, AND SOMEBODY'S GONNA SHOVE IT ON THERE.

SO I'M GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY THAT GIVES US A SENSE OF WOOD COFFINS, WHAT HE'S SINGING ABOUT.

- I WILL GIVE YOU THE TECH TIME ON THAT MORNING IF YOU GIVE ME IMAGES THAT TELL ME WHERE I AM.

- BUT WE BRING UP A COFFIN WITH HIM, OR WE DO IT THROUGH PROJECTIONS.

ONE OR THE OTHER.

WHICH DO YOU CHOOSE?

- WELL, WE JUST-- - I WILL BUILD YOU A COFFIN.

- YEAH?

- YES.

- ALL RIGHT.

- OKAY.

[bright music] ♪ ♪ - [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ OKAY.

- UP AND DOWN AND LAND.

UP AND DOWN AND LAND.

GO, GO, GO, GO, GO!

ARE YOU OKAY?

IF WE'RE COMING IN TOO CLOSE TO ONE, YOU'VE GOT TO PROTECT HER, OKAY?

- ACTION.

TRAVEL, TRAVEL, TRAVEL.

GO, GO.

THERE YOU GO.

NICE, GUYS.

KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING.

FASTER ON THE TRAVEL.

FASTER ON THE TRAVEL.

AND GET READY FOR THE BACK FLIP.

AND FLIP, FLIP IN TWO.

FLIP, FLIP.

TRAVEL, TRAVEL, FASTER, FASTER.

AND REVEAL!

TRAVEL, TRAVEL, TRAVEL.

NICE, GUYS.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

STEP, STEP.

- [grunting] - HOLD IT, HOLD IT.

NICE.

- YEAH!

[applause] - YEAH!

- WE HAVE THREE WEEKS TO GET ON THE STAGE, AND WE NEVER HAD A RUN-THROUGH.

SO IT WAS ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON THE DIRECTOR, ON THE CONDUCTOR, AND THEY BOTH APPLIED THAT PRESSURE TO ME.

- THAT'S AN EASY PROBLEM.

I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN STRUCTURE HERE RIGHT NOW.

- I'M ALSO VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHORUS COMING ON AND OFF.

BUT HOW DOES ONE DO THAT?

OR DO THEY JUST STAND THERE?

- IT'S A REALLY LOVELY MOMENT.

WE DON'T HAVE TO TOSS IT SO FAST.

I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE IT YET.

I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS NOW.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HACKING AND HACKING AND HACKING.

I WANT TO LET THINGS SETTLE FOR A MOMENT SO WE CAN LOOK AT A WHOLE THING INSTEAD OF JUST NIBBLING ALL THE TIME.

I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THOSE KIND OF DECISIONS NOW.

WE WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL AT THIS POINT.

CAN I JUST HEAR IT?

CAN WE DO IT ONCE AS IT'S WRITTEN?

- YEAH, YEAH.

- SERIOUSLY.

WHEW.

- I KNOW.

- BOTH, I MEAN, HE IS LIKE SNAPPING AT THE EDGES.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

- 'CAUSE HE'S JUST SO TENSE.

HE SNAPPED.

- OH, I KNOW, BUT STILL.

- ARE YOU HERE FOR THE-- - [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ ♪ FLOATING AWAY ♪ ♪ I FEEL SO MUCH ♪ OH.

THAT'S THE WAY I CAME.

[morose piano music] - WELL, YOU HAVE NOTHING NOW, NOTHING AS FAR AS CLOSING THE ARC OF HER STORY.

- OH, I THINK THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT RIGHT.

SHE BASICALLY STEPS INTO THE ROLE OF THE POWERFUL WOMEN THAT SHE'S FOLLOWED IN A WAY THAT SHE KNOWS WHERE SHE COMES FROM.

THAT'S WHAT THAT WHOLE END IS ABOUT.

AND IT'S ABOUT HEALING THE PAST SO THAT YOU CAN MOVE INTO THE FUTURE.

I THINK THAT'S HUGE.

I MEAN, TO LITERALIZE IT OR TO THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES SHE DO DIMINISHES THAT.

- I JUST THINK IT LEAVES YOU UP IN THE AIR WITHOUT A COMPLETION OR WITHOUT-- - IT'S NOT A NEAT PACKAGE, BUT THAT'S INTENTIONAL.

IT'S NOT PREDICTABLE, BUT I THINK IT'S THE ABSOLUTE MOST POWERFUL ENDING.

WHAT THAT END DOES IS TRANSFORMS THE EMOTION OF THE WHOLE OPERA FOR ME, BECAUSE IT'S AN APOTHEOSIS.

SO IT'S ACTUALLY-- I THINK WE'RE LEFT WITH QUITE A LOT.

- [indistinct speech] - SOME MUSIC THAT WAS AGREED TO BE CUT WAS ONLY REINSTATED AT THE LAST ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL.

AND YOU KNOW, THAT CAUGHT ME A LITTLE BIT BY SURPRISE.

NOT THAT I WAS UPSET THAT THE MUSIC WAS BACK IN, BUT I'M THINKING, "HOW AM I GONNA REHEARSE IT PROPERLY?"

AND IT TAKES EVERYBODY OFF.

WE JUST HAVE TO AT THIS POINT, NO TEXT CHANGES, NO--IT-- - OKAY, BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, EACH ONE OF THESE CHANGES, IT TAKES THEIR CONCENTRATION, YOU KNOW, AND THEY DON'T HAVE-- YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL MUSCLE MEMORY FOR SINGERS.

AND THERE COMES A POINT OF... - OF NO RETURN.

- WILL WE KNOW THAT SHE'S THE SAME PERSON, BECAUSE SHE LOOKS SO DIFFERENT?

- WE'RE GONNA CHANGE HER, BECOME WHITE ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

- IF ONLY WE HAD THREE MORE WEEKS, 'CAUSE USUALLY THEY HAVE FIVE WEEKS.

- I KNOW, BUT WE ARE FINISHED.

THEY HAVE TO FINISH THIS WEEK.

THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME.

[stirring orchestral music] ♪ ♪ - [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ ♪ I KNOW ♪ - DO IT AGAIN.

DON'T STOP THAT THERE.

- THAT WAS GREAT.

- YEAH, WELL, DO IT AGAIN.

- ♪ THESE ARE THE THINGS ♪ - NO.

THAT'S BETTER.

- ♪ ARE TRUE ♪ - LET IT GO.

- WE JUST GOT TO BRING THESE UP.

- DO I HAVE A PLAYER ON LADDER RIGHT?

- YEAH, WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR MOP DOWN HERE?

- GIVE ME AN UPDATE TO PUT UP THE WALL.

- [sighs] - [singing harmoniously] ♪ ♪ - ♪ I KNOW WHAT IS TRUE ♪ ♪ ♪ [indistinct chatter] - WE HAVE NEW CHANGES.

"CHANGE YOU MOTHERS' PAST"?

DON'T YOU HAVE TO SAY "CHANGE YOUR MOTHER'S PAST"?

- WHY DON'T WE JUST DO THE WAY IT WAS?

'CAUSE THIS IS REALLY RISKY ONSTAGE.

THEY CHANGED "YOUR MOTHER'S FUTURE" OR "YOU MOTHERS' FUTURE"?

[laughter] [speaking at once] [laughter] [low trombone notes] ♪ ♪ [timpani drums rumbling] ♪ ♪ - YOU KNOW THAT LINE IN THE GRAND FINALE, "I DRINK FOR YOU"?

THERE WAS A SUGGESTION ABOUT CHANGING THAT LINE TO "I DIE."

YOU THINK YOU CAN MANAGE THAT?

- AND I HAVE THIS.

THIS IS A QUESTION FOR YOU.

"CHANGE YOUR MOTHER'S PAST" OR, "CHANGE YOU MOTHERS' PAST"?

- "YOUR."

- ♪ I DIE TO SAVE YOUR LIFE ♪ THAT ARIA I HAVEN'T RUN ONCE.

I HAVEN'T RUN ONCE.

- I HEAR YOU.

[people chattering] - GOOD EVENING, SIR.

- GOOD EVENING.

- THANK YOU.

- OH, AMY!

- CAN YOU JUST SIGN YOUR NAME?

- AMY!

[camera shutter clicking] - [speaking foreign language] - [speaking foreign language] - MM-HMM.

[speaking foreign language] - HI.

[people chattering] - AMY.

- AMY, LET'S GET A SHOT.

- AHH!

- PLACES, PLEASE.

ZHENG CAO, QIAN YI, AND MISS NING LIANG TO STAGE.

- ♪ MY FATHER WAS THE BONESETTER OF IMMORTAL HEART ♪ ♪ AND I AM THE BONESETTER'S DAUGHTER ♪ [bright music] ♪ ♪ [orchestra humming warmly] ♪ ♪ - [sighs] - READY TO GO?

- YEP, READY TO GO.

[applause] SPOT SEVEN, YOU'RE GETTING THE SUONA PLAYER.

GO.

[wailing suona music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ LIGHT CUE POINT 5, GO.

[wailing suona music] ♪ ♪ [cymbals crash] ♪ ♪ VIDEO 21, GO.

[furious music] ♪ ♪ [stirring music] ♪ ♪ [singing morosely] ♪ ♪ [wailing suona music] ♪ ♪ - [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ - [singing maniacally] ♪ ♪ - ONE SECOND PLEASE, ONE SECOND, ONE SECOND.

- YEAH.

- I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS.

I FELL INTO A PUDDLE OF WATER.

OW, OW.

IT HURTS LIKE HELL.

ROUND TWO, GREG.

DID YOU SEE ME FALL ON MY BUTT?

- BUT IT LOOKED LIKE YOU DID IT ON PURPOSE, 'CAUSE YOU WERE NERVOUS ABOUT THE WEDDING.

- THIS HURTS LIKE HELL.

- TEN MINUTES UNTIL PLACES, TEN MINUTES.

- TEN MINUTES?

- FIVE-MINUTE CALL, PLEASE, FOR ZHENG YI TO STAGE.

- SHE'S GOT TO GET THE HARNESS ON, AND THEN THE COSTUME.

AND THEN I HAVE TO PUT THAT WIG ON.

THAT'S NOT GONNA BE FIVE MINUTES.

- CHECK, CHECK, ONE, TWO.

- YOU'RE ALMOST READY.

- PLACES, PLEASE.

PLACES, PLEASE.

- MAESTRO IS REQUESTING TO START WHETHER SHE'S FLYING OR NOT.

- OKAY.

IT IS CURTAIN CALL.

- IT'S OKAY; THE DOCTOR JUST SHOWED UP, SO WE'RE GOOD.

[applause] - [singing operatically] ♪ ♪ - AMY SENT ME THAT SCENE.

I REALIZED THAT THAT WAS THE END OF THE OPERA.

I KNEW WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH THE MUSIC.

THE WORLD, THE STATE THAT I WANTED TO CREATE WAS THE SENSE THAT I HAD FOUND IN THE BOOK AND THE THING THAT MADE ME WANT TO MAKE IT INTO MUSIC, WHICH WAS THAT PERMEABLE MEMBRANE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, THAT SUSPENSION AT THAT PLACE WHERE THOSE TWO THINGS MEET.

- [singing morosely] ♪ ♪ - MY MOTHER HAD TOLD ME PROBABLY SIX MONTHS BEFORE SHE DIED THAT SHE WANTED TO TELL ME SHE WAS SORRY FOR HURTING ME WHEN I WAS A CHILD.

WHEN I SEE IT SUNG, ACTED OUT, THESE EMOTIONS, THESE EMOTIONAL VOICES, AND I JUST LOSE IT.

I HAD GONE BEYOND A MOMENT WHEN I NEEDED TO HEAR THAT, BUT TO HEAR IT AGAIN, SOME PART OF ME AS A CHILD HEARD IT AGAIN AND SAID, "THAT WAS SUCH BALM."

- [singing morosely] ♪ ♪ - I IMAGINE MY GRANDMOTHER SAYING, "I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE YOU WEAKER.

"I WANTED TO MAKE YOU STRONGER.

"DON'T THINK OF KILLING YOURSELF.

"YOU'RE IN A DIFFERENT WORLD.

I DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE, BUT YOU CAN HAVE A VOICE."

SO I'M THE WRITER.

I'M THE GRANDDAUGHTER WITH THE VOICE.

[stirring music] ♪ ♪ [cheers and applause] - WE'RE OKAY.

- STAND BY.

STAND BY.

- OKAY.

- GO AHEAD.

- ZHONGHUA, WE MADE IT.

- YEAH!

- OH, GOD.

- SO WONDERFUL.

- CHANNELING YOU.

OH, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

THANK YOU.

- IT WAS SO WONDERFUL, SO WONDERFUL.

- ARE YOU HAPPY?

- I'M SO HAPPY.

- WE MADE IT.

WE MADE IT.

- I'M HAPPY.

I'M HAPPY.

[applause] OH.

- [singing operatically] Captioning by CaptionMax www.captionmax.com ♪ ♪