Bel Canto Summary

Renowned opera soprano, Roxanne Coss, was invited to a birthday celebration for Katsumi Hosokawa, a prominent Japanese electronics executive, in a small Latin American nation. The local officials anticipated her performance would persuade Hosokawa to establish a factory in their country. However, Hosokawa was not interested in business dealings; he was rather enthralled by Coss's operatic talent. The celebration took an unexpected turn when the power was abruptly cut off just as Coss finished her last song. Terrorists stormed the venue, demanding to see the president of the country. When their initial plan failed, a tense standoff with government forces began, with Coss remaining a captive despite a negotiation by a Red Cross representative, Joachim Messner, for the release of the workers, the sick, and the women.

During the four-month hostage situation, unexpected bonds were formed. The captives realized that most of their captors were children or teens, sparking a protective, nurturing instinct in the hostages. They also discovered two of the terrorists were girls. Language barriers were overcome with the assistance of Gen Watanabe, Hosokawa’s translator, who became a vital link of communication for all. Coss resumed singing and found an unexpected accompanist in a diligent executive from Hosokawa's company, whose piano skills complemented her beautifully. The captives and captors found solace and even joy in her music. Relationships blossomed, including romantic relationships between Hosokawa and Coss and between Watanabe and one of the female terrorists named Carmen. Another bond developed between the leader of the terrorists, General Benjamin, and Hosokawa over games of chess, and the nation's vice president, Ruben Iglesias, grew fond of a young terrorist, envisioning adoption.

As the months rolled on, a sense of contentment had settled among both the hostages and the captors, leading to a strange fear of their eventual release. Amid this unusual peace, Coss started giving singing lessons to one of the youthful terrorists who revealed an amazing talent. However, despite the evolving relationships and the veneer of normalcy, there loomed the inevitable outcome. When government forces stormed the mansion, all the terrorists including Carmen were killed. Hosokawa also died trying to shield Carmen. The story concludes on a hopeful note when Coss and Watanabe tie the knot, signifying that love and humanity can bloom even in the direst of circumstances.