Bel Canto

In 2001, novelist Ann Patchett published Bel Canto, a gorgeous and suspenseful introduction to the world of opera music. 

Photo Credit

   The plot summary according to Wikipedia is as follows:

   Set in an unnamed country, the story begins at a birthday party thrown at the country's vice presidential home. The party is thrown for Katsumi Hosokawa, the visiting chairman of a large Japanese electronics company called Nansei. Performing is a famous American soprano, Roxane Coss.

  Near the end of the party, members of a terrorist organization break into the house looking for the President. When it is discovered that the President did not attend the party, the terrorist group decides to take the entire party hostage.

  After determining they have too many hostages, the terrorists decide to release all of the hostages except those they deem most important and most likely to receive a large ransom. This includes Hosokawa, Roxane, and the translator Gen.

 Two major romantic relationships develop as the standoff drags on and serve as the backdrop to the rest of the story. The first is between Roxane Coss and Katsumi Hosokawa. Hosokawa is one of Roxane's biggest fans and he attended the party because Roxane was going to be singing. When they are placed in the house together, they develop a deep bond, even though they do not speak each other's language and thus cannot communicate verbally.  

     Here's an excerpt from Bel Canto, describing the first song she sings to him: 
   
“[He] chose Rusalka as a measure of his respect for [the singer]. It was the centerpiece of her repertoire and would require no extra preparation on her behalf, a piece that surely would have been included in the program had he not requested it … He simply wanted to hear her sing Rusalka while standing close to her in a room. If a human soul should dream of me, may he still remember me on awaking! His translator had written it out for him from the Czech years ago.”

Soprano Anna Netrebko

When I listen to Rusalko, I understand how a man would be willing to travel form one country to another to hear this beautiful music. Bel Canto means Beautiful Singing.
You have no need for sight. Listen. The beauty of her voice transports you to a place where dreams are strong and passionate.  When you emerge from the darkness of any dream, imagine the light from your lover's eyes. This music makes you understand that music has the power to transcend this world. Love remains upon awaking.