Bel Canto: A NovelSomewhere in South America, at the home of the country's vice president, a lavish birthday party is being held in honor of the powerful businessman Mr. Hosokawa. Roxanne Coss, opera's most revered soprano, has mesmerized the international guests with her singing. It is a perfect evening -- until a band of gunwielding terrorists takes the entire party hostage. But what begins as a panicked, life-threatening scenario slowly evolves into something quite different, a moment of great beauty, as terrorists and hostages forge unexpected bonds and people from different continents become compatriots, intimate friends, and lovers. |
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accompanist Alfredo Ann Patchett arms asked Beatriz beautiful Bel Canto beneath Benjamin Carmen Cesar chess chest closed dark didn’t dinner door Edith eggplant Eugene Onegin everything eyes face Father Arguedas feel felt fingers floor French Fyodorov Gen's girl guests hair hand head hear heard Hector held Hosokawa hostages inside Ishmael Japanese kiss kitchen knew language leaned listened living room looked Lucy Grealy Messner minute morning never night nodded opera piano play priest pulled remember Rigoletto Roxane Coss Ruben Iglesias Rusalka Russian sang seemed shoot shot shoulder side Simon Thibault sing sitting sleep smiled soap opera someone soprano Spanish speak spoke stand stared stay stood stopped sure tell terrorists thing thought told took touch translator trying turned Vice President voice waiting walked wall wanted watch whispered wife window woman wondered words