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L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O
December 7, 2015 - January 17, 2016
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17
BEL CANTO
Synopsis
TIME:
1996
PLACE:
A mansion in Lima, Peru
The opera will be performed
with one intermission.
ACT ONE
Scene 1.
Diplomats, government officials, and
executives are gathered at the home of the
Peruvian vice president, Rubén Iglesias, to
celebrate the birthday of Katsumi Hosokawa,
head of a large Japanese electronics company.
Hosokawa arrives and greets the vice president
with the help of his translator, Gen Watanabe.
His entrance is followed by a performance by
the elegant Roxane Coss, a world-renowned
soprano – and Hosokawa’s favorite singer
– hired for the evening’s entertainment.
The guests gather as Mr. Hosokawa thanks
them. The vice president introduces Roxane’s
performance, and she sings a piece composed
especially for the occasion.
Midway through the performance, there
is an explosion.A band of terrorists storms
the room and orders everyone to the floor.
The vice president tries to call for help on his
cell phone but is caught and severely beaten.
Generals Benjamín and Alfredo demand to
see the president. The vice president explains
truthfully that the president stayed home
to watch his soap opera. Deprived of their
intended hostage, the terrorists inform the
partygoers that now they are all the property of
the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement.
Searchlights play across the windows as sirens
and helicopters are heard.
Scene 2.
Morning. The hostages, who have
spent the night on the floor, are awakened
by a muffled announcement from outside
demanding that the terrorists release the
hostages. Hosokawa shakes Gen awake to
translate.
Joachim Messner, a Red Cross emissary,
arrives. Reluctantly, the terrorists allow
him entry. The vice president and the other
hostages urge the terrorists to heed Messner
and free them. After airing their demands of a
better life for the poor and the liberation of a
long list of imprisoned comrades, the captors
agree to let the injured, infirm, and elderly
hostages go with Messner. Though very ill,
Roxane’s accompanist Christopf refuses to
leave her.
Intrigued by a young soldier, Gen initiates
a brief conversation that leaves him feeling
uneasy – and full of desire. Hosokawa,
infatuated with Roxane and feeling responsible
for the entire incident, tries to apologize to her
without the help of his translator. Despite the
lack of words, they begin to communicate.
Meanwhile Gen’s fascination with the young
soldier increases as they converse again. Time
begins to take on new meaning for the four of
them.
Scene 3
. A week has passed. General Benjamín
adds a new stroke to a rude tally he’s been
keeping on the wall, counting the days since
the siege began. In their imaginations, hostages
and captors alike picture life beyond the walls
of the mansion.
Messner enters and tells the generals they
need to put aside their ideals and be practical,
but they refuse. General Alfredo, frustrated,
trains his gun on Roxane and orders her to
sing. Her song entrances all, including the
young soldier, whose secret long hair comes
undone during the performance, captivating
Gen again. Suddenly, General Alfredo breaks
the spell, angrily ordering Roxane to cease her
beguilement.
Messner pleads for a temporary solution,
but General Alfredo digs in his heels with a
diatribe intended in part to inspire his soldiers.
Messner, joined variously by Roxane, Gen,
Hosokawa, and even the young soldier, argue
for the release of at least the women. During
the argument, General Alfredo addresses the
young soldier by name – Carmen – revealing
that she is a woman.
Unexpectedly, General Alfredo relents and
orders the women and Father Arguedas to
leave. Father Arguedas insists on staying with
the hostages. As the women begin filing out,
General Alfredo roughly pulls Roxane from
the line and announces that she must stay.
Christopf, delirious, attacks him and is shot
and killed by one of the soldiers. The generals
are furious, for they had ordered that there be
no shooting.
Carmen prays in Quechua, the indigenous
language spoken by most of the terrorists;
Father Arguedas prays in Latin. Hostages and
terrorists alike express their shock, and the
hope and sorrow that is Peru.
ACT TWO
Scene 1.
General Benjamín adds another stroke
to the wall, indicating another two weeks
have passed. Hostages and captors engage in
ordinary activities: hanging laundry, reading
the paper, conversing. A fog the Peruvians
call
la garúa
settles over the mansion. Father
Arguedas explains that
la garúa
has been
worshiped as a sacred visitor since the time
of the Incas. All solemnly welcome the fog.
The mood is broken when the terrorists begin
a rowdy game of soccer in the living room.
Roxane muses with Hosokawa about the days
they have lost in captivity.
Another day passes. The frustrated Messner
arrives with supplies to find Hosokawa playing
chess with a soldier, General Alfredo selecting
newspaper clippings, and Roxane at the piano.
Among the supplies is sheet music for Roxane.
There has been no progress in the standoff.
Time passes.
Outside the mansion, the women hostages
released earlier hold a candlelight vigil. Carmen
says a prayer (“Santa Rosa de Lima”), then
goes to Gen.
Another day. Hosokawa plays chess with
General Alfredo. With Gen interpreting, the
Russian hostage Victor Fyodorov awkwardly
professes his love to Roxane. Hosokawa
watches and muses on his own love for Roxane.
More strokes on the wall. Searchlights
shine through the windows and a muffled
megaphone is heard. A worried Messner
confesses to General Alfredo that the
negotiations are going nowhere. Furious,
General Alfredo slaps him, and Hosokawa
intervenes. Messner asserts his neutrality.
The next day, the soldiers Ismael, Beatriz,
and César hear a report on the radio news and
argue about the effectiveness of their mission.
Frustrated, César leaves the others and, alone,
remembers his former life in the jungle and the
day he discovered his singing voice. Roxane
overhears his singing and is drawn to his voice.
When he realizes she is listening, he runs to the
door, embarrassed. He flings it open, and the
room is flooded with light. The fog has lifted.
(continued on pg. 26.)