Ann Patchett has always been one of my favorite writers. I read this first about twenty years ago. Serendipity put it into my hands, recently, so I decided to give it a second read.
A Japanese businessman is giving a birthday party, flying in special, for his guests, his favorite opera singer, to some remote South American company, where international dignitaries are gathered. The singer, Roxane Coss, stuns with her vocal pyrotechnics, when, shortly after, a group of terrorists come in, looking for the President of this nation, who happened to decline the party that night. So, they hold everyone hostage. Surprisingly, things do not go South, like "Lord Of The Flies," but to an atmosphere of almost peaceful tranquility and communication, which breaks down barriers between these two groups, even allowing for some romance to bloom.
But things have to end, and I was surprised how they did, and by the sheer romanticism of the last scene. In between, Patchett's language is beautiful, with references to operas, arias, composers, and other classical works which even the untrained should be able to pick up.
"Bel Canto" was a satisfying fiction work, when it came out in 2001.
It is even more so, eighteen years later.
Oh, my God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Had no idea this was a novel: when the movie came out last year I thought it was an original script. I've been sitting on it for months in my "need to watch" pile, but haven't yet got round to it. With Julianne Moore, Ken Wattanabe and Damian Bichir as the stars, directed by Paul Weitz, it must be a halfway-decent adaptation.
ReplyDeleteYour description of the book plot suddenly makes this more inyeresting for me to screen. Having never researched it, I vaguely thought it was just a variation on that old Doris Day chestnut "Midnight Lace".
ReplyDeleteMy Dear,
So glad to hear from you.
Did you go to Montauk?
I found this novel at our friends
Lynda and Marilyn, and they passed it
on. Ann Patchett is one of my
favorite writers. I had no idea this
was made into a movie. It must have come
and gone, like "We Have Always Lived In
The Castle." If Julianne plays the role
I think she does, her singing would have
to be dubbed. And I will guess by
Renee Fleming, who is referenced throughout
the novel.