Bel Canto Opera Guide

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Synopsis
Bel Canto
Opera in two acts in Spanish, English, French, Japanese, Russian, Italian, German,
Latin, and Quechua
By Jimmy López
Libretto by Nilo Cruz, based on the novel by Ann Patchett
CHARACTERS
Roxane Coss, an American soprano...................................................... Soprano
Katsumi Hosokawa, the chairman of an electronics corporation
in Japan..........................................................................Bass
General Alfredo, the leader of the revolutionary organization MRTA.......Tenor
General Benjamín, second in command of MRTA........................................Bass
Joachim Messner, a representative of the Red Cross.......................... Baritone
Gen Watanabe, Mr. Hosokawa’s translator..................................................Tenor
Carmen, a young member of MRTA........................................... Mezzo-soprano
Christopf, Roxane’s accompanist.................................................................Tenor
Rubén Iglesias, the vice president of Peru...................................................Tenor
Father Arguedas, a Catholic priest......................................................... Baritone
César, a young member of MRTA.................................................. Countertenor
Simon Thibault, the French ambassador................................................ Baritone
Edith Thibault, his wife.................................................................... Mezzo-soprano
Victor Fyodorov, a Russian diplomat...............................................................Bass
Ismael, a young member of MRTA................................................................Tenor
Beatriz, a young member of MRTA.......................................................... Soprano
German woman, a diplomat................................................................... Soprano
The Spanish ambassador to Peru...................................................................Tenor
A soldier of the Peruvian army................................................................. Baritone
Chorus of MRTA revolutionaries
Chorus of hostages
SETTING
A stately two-story mansion in Lima, Peru, 1996.
THE STORY
ACT I
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 (“Peru,
real and unreal”). Mr. Hosokawa arrives and greets the vice president with
the help of his translator, Gen Watanabe. His entrance is followed by the
elegant Roxane Coss, a world-renowned soprano—and Mr. Hosokawa’s
favorite singer—hired for the evening’s entertainment. The guests gather as
Mr. Hosokawa thanks them (“Mr. Hosokawa’s gratitude”). The vice president
introduces Roxane’s performance, and she sings a piece composed
especially for the occasion (“You were destined to come here”).
Midway through the performance, there is an explosion. A priest, Father
Arguedas, begins reciting the Lord’s Prayer as the frightened guests rush to
the windows. A band of guerrillas storms the room and orders everyone to
the floor (“The assault”). 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 he
stayed home to watch his soap opera. Deprived of their intended hostage,
the guerrillas inform the partygoers that now they are all the property of
the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (“We are the guerrilleros”).
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 rebels