About the work
Opera-ballo in four acts by Antônio Carlos Gomes to an Italian libretto by Antonio Scalvini and Carlo D'Ormeville, first performed on 19 March 1870 at Milan's Teatro alla Scala. It is based on José de Alencar's novel 'O Guarani' (1857); the action is set in 1560 in colonial Portuguese Brazil.
Plot
The Guarani warrior Pery saves Cecília, daughter of the Portuguese governor Don Antônio de Mariz, and falls in love with her. Treacherous Spanish mercenaries plot to overthrow the governor while hostile Aimoré warriors attack at the same time. Don Antônio sacrifices himself to destroy the conspirators, allowing Pery and Cecília to escape together.
Cultural significance
The premiere was a triumph; Giuseppe Verdi, who was present, is said to have praised Gomes's exceptional musical talent afterwards. As the first opera by a Latin American composer to win international recognition, 'Il Guarany' made Gomes famous beyond Brazil and remains his most frequently performed work.