BEL CANTO - Harper Collins

'Kidnappers storm an international gathering hosted by a poor Latin American country to promote foreign trade. Unfortunately their intended target, the President, has stayed home to watch his favourite soap. The takeover settles into a siege, bringing together an unlinkely assortment of hostages, including a beautiful American opera diva, a Japanese CEO who is her biggest fan, and his unassming translator, Gen. Two couples, complete opposites, fall in love, and a horrific imprisonment is transformed into an unexpected heaven on earth.' The story is based on the assumption that music and especially opera can change the world and the people who listen to it. In any case its the opera which makes life bearable for 60 hostages who have been kidnapped for almost five months in a Latin American country. And it makes the rebels who actually wanted to kidnap the president of the country, kinder. Because among the hostages is the soprano Roxane Coss whose singing prevents everyone from going crazy. During their 4 1/2 month long captivity different people meet, alliances are formed and couples fall in love. Only the negotiations between the kidnappers and the government have reached a deadlock.