As Julianne Moore is not a trained opera singer, she was coached to lip synch for her singing scenes. Although she has some singing experience, and has sung before in movies, she cannot sing the vocally demanding genre of opera. Reneé Fleming, a soprano, provided the singing voice for Moore.
The location of the real hostage situation that inspired the novel and film took place in Peru. The film however was filmed in Mexico.
The title of the novel and film, Bel Canto, is Italian for beautiful singing. It refers to the Italian-originated vocal technique and style that prevailed throughout most of Europe during the 18th century and early 19th centuries.
Elsa Zylberstein and Christopher Lambert also played a married couple in Claude Lelouch's Un + une (2015). In that film, they were also cast as a French diplomat and his wife.
Demian Bichir was initially cast as General Benjamin, before being replaced by Tenoch Huerta.