Question: What Italian opera term means “beautiful singing” and is the title of an award winning novel also adapted into a film of the same name?

Answer:

Bel Canto is a vocal style that originated in Italian opera in the 17th century and was popular throughout Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries. Bel Canto is also the name of Ann Patchett's award-winning novel based on the Japanese Ambassador Hostage Crisis where high-level diplomats were taken hostage over 126 days in Lima, Peru. The novel was adapted into an opera in 2015 and then a movie starring Julianne Moore in 2018.

Find the novel, the audiobook, or stream the movie on Hoopla. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett is the January Book Club pick. Join us for a discussion of the book and opera with the Michigan Opera Theater on January 26 at 7:00pm on Zoom.