Il Guarany


Il Guarany is an opera ballo composed by Antônio Carlos Gomes, based on the novel O Guarani by José de Alencar. Its libretto, in Italian rather than Gomes' native Portuguese, was written by Antonio Scalvini and Carlo D'Ormeville. The work is notable as the first Brazilian opera to gain acclaim outside Brazil. Maria Alice Volpe has analysed the historical subtext of the Indianismo movement behind Il Guarany.

Performance history

The world premiere took place at La Scala, Milan on 19 March 1870. The opera received additional European productions. It was performed at the Zagreb theater in 1883 and 1886. The first Brazilian performance was in Rio de Janeiro on 2 December 1870, at the Theatro D. Pedro II. More recently, in 1996, Il Guarany was mounted by the Washington National Opera with Plácido Domingo in the role of Peri.
The duet Sento una forza indomita for tenor and soprano had a vogue: it was in the recorded repertoire of Francesco Marconi with Bice Mililotti, 1908, and of Enrico Caruso with Emmy Destinn, 1914.

Roles

Antônio Carlos Gomes's overture to the opera Il Guarany,
played by the United States Marine Band.