The Brazilian-born composer Antônio

Carlos Gomes (1836-96) found

immediate success in Europe with Il

Guarany, his first opera to be staged

there, ensuring his reputation at the

time despite being little-known today.

As recently as two decades ago, however,

this work was re-staged in Germany,

by Werner Herzog no less, and starring

Plácido Domingo!

The highly authentic, idiomatic and

definitive studio recording at hand,

dating from Sao Paulo, 1959 here makes

a welcome return to the active catalog.