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.
