Bel Canto

December 07. 2015 - January 17. 2016

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December 07. 2015 - January 17. 2016

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World Premiere Bel Canto

Ann Patchett's best-selling novel Bel Canto took the literary world by storm. Now, in a new work curated by Lyric's creative consultant, Renée Fleming, this riveting story inspired by a real-life event becomes a powerful opera.

Superstar American diva Roxane Coss has flown to Peru to sing at the vice president's home for a visiting Japanese mogul who is an opera buff. Dignitaries of every nationality are there — but an international crisis explodes when terrorists storm the mansion and take everyone hostage. Isolated for months, unlikely alliances form between captors and captives as fear and anger mingle uneasily with desire and even love. Music is the one universal language — but can it draw forth the humanity that exists in us all?

The extraordinary international cast of Bel Canto is led by Danielle de Niese, who caused a sensation as Lyric's Cleopatra in 2007. Sir Andrew Davis teams up with Kevin Newbury(Anna Bolena) for this world premiere with a libretto by Pulitzer Prize winner Nilo Cruz and music by Jimmy López, a native of Peru and "one of the most interesting young composers anywhere today." Chicago Sun-Times

Composed by Jimmy López
Libretto by Nilo Cruz
Based on the novel by Ann Patchett

Language: In Spanish, English, Japanese, Russian, German, French, Latin, and Quechua, with projected English titles
Running Time: Performance running time: 3 hours including 1 intermission
Location: Lyric Opera House

Bel Canto videos

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See what critics are saying about López's Bel Canto at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Bel Canto: The Origins

Hear from composer, Jimmy López and director, Kevin Newbury on how the creation of the world premiere opera, Bel Canto came to fruition.

Bel Canto

by Jimmy López

Features the symphonic music of composer Jimmy López, available on the Harmonia Mundi label.

Interview with composer Jimmy López

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Bel Canto

Composed by Jimmy López
Libretto by Nilo Cruz
Based on the novel by Ann Patchett

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley Welsh Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.

© 2015/16 Lyric Opera Commentaries
All rights reserved. Recording & Production services provided by Mark Travis.
A project of the Women's Board.

commentary by Jesse Gram, Audience Education Manager

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Bel Canto articles

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Behind the Scenes of Bel Canto

In anticipation of the premiere of Bel Canto, Lyric is excited to offer audiences exclusive musical sneak peeks, free events, and online resources all designed to explore the process of taking a story from the page to the stage.

A Sneak Peek: The Music of Bel Canto

Recently, we were invited into an early rehearsal of Bel Canto, led by Lyric chorus master Michael Black and featuring the men of the Lyric Opera Chorus. With only piano accompaniment representing the full orchestral score, listen to some of López's haunting melodies revealed in the rehearsal room!

The Reviews are in for the Bel Canto World Premiere!

Bel Canto had its world premiere at Lyric on December 7. See for yourself what the critics are saying!

Bel Canto World-Premiere Headed to PBS's Great Performances

Lyric is excited to share that Thirteen Productions LLC for WNET New York has selected the world-premiere production of Bel Canto to be part of the prestigious Great Performances television series on PBS.

Raring to Go: Danielle de Niese readies herself for Bel Canto

When Lyric asked Danielle de Niese to star as diva Roxane Coss in the world premiere of Bel Canto, "I was completely beside myself – really gobsmacked," the renowned Australian-born soprano recalls.

Bel Canto - Page to Stage

All of us at Lyric are eager to make Bel Canto the focus of your fall reading and we're pleased to offer the brand-new Bel Canto book-and-opera discussion guide.

Behind the Scenes with the Bel Canto Creative Team

It's exciting – and complicated! – to get a brand-new opera from page to stage.

Bel Canto opera synopsis

TIME: 1996
PLACE: A mansion in Lima, Peru

Scene 1.

Diplomats, government officials, and executives are gathered at the home of the Peruvian vice president, Ruben 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 Benjamin 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 Tupac 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 Benjamin 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.
Scene 1.

General Benjamin 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 garua settles over the mansion. Father Arguedas explains that la garua 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 Cesar hear a report on the radio news and argue about the effectiveness of their mission. Frustrated, Cesar 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.

Scene 2.

A month later. Messner, looking disheveled and overworked, enters with supplies and fresh clothes. He finds the generals and one of the soldiers playing cards with Fyodorov. Father Arguedas is cutting bread, the vice president is mending a military jacket, Beatriz is decorating her rifle with flowers. Meanwhile, Roxane gives Cesar a singing lesson with Gen translating and Hosokawa looking on. Messner is aghast that all are complacently going about their lives despite the untenable situation. He tries to shake them from their stupor, warning that the government is just biding its time. Saying he’s failed everyone, Messner implores the generals to save themselves and give up the siege. He collapses, shivering, and some of the captors gently help him to bed.

Father Arguedas calls everyone together for prayer, and the group sings a Gregorian chant. With Gen translating, Roxane surreptitiously asks Carmen to bring Hosokawa to her room that night. Later, in the dark of night, Roxane and Hosokawa fall into each other’s arms in Roxane’s room, as do Carmen and Gen in a storage room by the kitchen.

Scene 3.

Morning. Father Arguedas and the vice president serve coffee to the hostages. Messner, who has spent the night, tells Roxane they’re at the point where only a miracle can bring about a peaceful solution. General Alfredo signals for the hostages to clear the floor so the soldiers can play soccer. Roxane protests that it’s time for Cesar’s singing lesson. General Alfredo agrees to take the game outdoors.

With halting attempts to speak each others’ language, Hosokawa and Carmen conspiratorially agree that the previous night was unforgettable. Cesar warms up his voice with Roxane accompanying him at the piano.

Rumbling arises from inside the house, and Peruvian soldiers burst through the floor. Cesar tries to flee and is shot. A frantic Hosokowa tries to protect Carmen, but both are shot. Chaos ensues as more soldiers storm the room, hostages flee, and gunfire is everywhere. The vice president orders the soldiers to cease fire. Roxane rushes to Hosakawa, but he is already dead. Gen finds Carmen, and she dies in his arms. The dead are carried off, and everyone exits except Roxane, who is left alone in the wake of the violence.

Program book

Go inside this production of Bel Canto with engaging articles, notes from the director, a complete plot synopsis, artist bios, and more.

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Meet The Artists

Danielle de Niese

Roxane Coss

Danielle de Niese is an internationally celebrated Australian-born American soprano.

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J'Nai Bridges

Carmen

Ryan Opera Center alumna

Ryan Opera Center alumna, mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges has been performing at Lyric since 2012.

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Jeongcheol Cha

Katsumi Hosokawa

Award-winning Korean bass-baritone Jeongcheol Cha made his Lyric debut as Katsumi Hosokawa in the world premiere of Bel Canto (2015|16)

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Andrew Stenson

Gen

American tenor Andrew Stenson is a winner of a Sara Tucker Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation and a Richard F. Gold Career Grant from the Shoshana Foundation, Stenson was a major award winner in the Opera Index competition and second-prize winner in both the Queen Sonja International Vocal Competition and the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation competition.

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Rafael Davila

General Alfredo

Puerto Rican tenor Rafael Davila made his Lyric debut as General Alfredo/ Bel Canto (2015|16)

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Jacques Imbrailo

Joachim Messner

South African baritone Jacques Imbrailo made his Lyric debut as Joachim Messner/ Bel Canto (2015|16)

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William Burden

Rubén Iglesias

American tenor William Burden's Lyric credits include Rubén Iglesias/ Bel Canto (2015|16) and Flamand/Capriccio (2014|15)

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Anthony Roth Costanzo

César

Award-winning countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo made his Lyric Opera debut as César/ Bel Canto (2015|16)

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Runi Brattaberg

Victor Fyodorov

Faroese bass Runi Brattaberg's Lyric credits include Victor Fyodorov/Bel Canto (2015|16) and Titurel/Parsifal (2013|14).

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John Irvin

Christof

Georgia native and former Ryan Opera Center member John Irvin's Lyric credits include Christof/ Bel Canto (2015|16)

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Anthony Clark Evans

Simon Thibault

Ryan Opera Center Ensemble

Anthony Clark Evans has sung twelve roles at Lyric Opera since his 2013|14 season debut

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Takaoki Onishi

Father Arguedas

Ryan Opera Center Ensemble

Ryan Opera Center alumnus Takaoki Onishi's Lyric credits include Marullo/Rigoletto (2017|18) and Captain/ Eugene Onegin (2016/17)

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Bradley Smoak

General Benjamin

Ryan Opera Center Ensemble

Bass-baritone Bradley Smoak is a native of North Carolina and a Ryan Opera Center member alumnus.

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Alec Carlson

Ismael

Tenor Alec Carlson is a native of Red Oak, Iowa, and in his second year in the Ryan Opera Center.

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Annie Rosen

Edith Thibault

American mezzo-soprano Annie Rosen made her Lyric debut as Tisbe/La Cenerentola (2015|16)

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Diana Newman

Beatriz

Ryan Opera Center alumna

American soprano and Ryan Opera Center alumna Diana Newman's Lyric credits include Forest bird/Siegfried (2018|19)

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Sir Andrew Davis

Conductor

Sir Andrew Davis served as music director and principal conductor of Lyric Opera of Chicago from 2000 through the 2020/21 Season.

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Kevin Newbury

Director

Director Kevin Newbury's Lyric credits include Faust (2017|18); Norma (2016|17); Bel Canto (2015|16, world premiere); Anna Bolena (2014|15).

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David Korins

Set Designer

American designer David Korins' Lyric credits include Norma (2016|17) and Bel Canto (2015|16)

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Constance Hoffman

Costume Designer

The designer, who has created costumes for opera, dance, and theater nationally and internationally, has collaborated with directors Kevin Newbury, Mark Lamos, Robert Carsen, David Alden, Christopher Alden, Julie Taymor, and Keith Warner

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Duane Schuler

Lighting Designer

Former resident lighting designer Duane Schuler worked on more than 140 productions at Lyric Opera since 1977.

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Greg Emetaz

Projection Designer

Award-winning projection designer Greg Emetaz made his Lyric debut with the world premiere of Bel Canto (2015|16)

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Michael Black

Chorus Master

Michael Black has served Lyric Opera of Chicago since the 2013/14 Season.

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Renée Fleming

Curator of Lyric’s new commission of Bel Canto

Renée Fleming, Lyric’s Advisor at Large for the Ryan Opera Center and formerly its first creative consultant, is one of the most beloved and celebrated singers of our time.

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Jimmy López

Composer

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Nilo Cruz

Libretto

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