For two performances only, Spanish Conquistador Hernán Cortés and Aztec Emperor Moctezuma will face each other once again in a fierce struggle over the people, the land, and the riches of the Aztec Empire. Motezuma, one of Vivaldi's 94 operas, is considered the most important Vivaldi discovery since his Archives were found in the 1920s. With its powerful score and colorful libretto, this opera is not only one of Vivaldi's greatest, but the world's first full opera about the Americas.

In presenting this spectacle of battles, ancient rituals, kidnappings, hostage taking, sex, and seduction, Long Beach Opera (LBO) will collaborate with Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, Southern California's premier Baroque ensemble.