The work's plot concerns Hernán Cortés's conquest of Mexico and the defeat of the Aztec emperor Montezuma. It was first performed at the Königliches Opernhaus (Royal court opera) in Berlin on 6 January 1755. The title role was originally performed by a castrato, but today is performed by either a male countertenor or a female mezzo-soprano.
The work's narrative revolves around Hernán Cortés's conquest of Mexico and the downfall of the Aztec emperor Montezuma. It was initially presented at the Königliches Opernhaus (Royal court opera) in Berlin on 6 January 1755. The title part was originally portrayed by a castrato, but is now performed by either a male countertenor or a female mezzo-soprano.