Bel Canto

In a South American nation, an extravagant birthday celebration at the vice president's residence brings together influential leaders, diplomats, and the celebrated Japanese businessman Mr. Hosokawa. The evening reaches its pinnacle when world-renowned soprano Roxanne Coss delivers a breathtaking performance, until armed terrorists storm the mansion and seize everyone inside.

As the hostage crisis stretches from days into weeks, fear and uncertainty gradually give way to something unexpected. Bound by extraordinary circumstances, captors and captives begin to cross the divides of language, culture, and ideology, forming unlikely friendships, profound connections, and even enduring romances.

With graceful prose and emotional depth, Bel Canto is a moving exploration of love, art, and the resilience of the human spirit. Ann Patchett transforms a tense political standoff into an unforgettable story about the surprising ways people find beauty, compassion, and connection in the most unlikely of places.

Winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award.