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 storyline focuses on Hernán Cortés's conquest of Mexico and the demise of the Aztec emperor Montezuma. It was first staged at the Königliches Opernhaus in Berlin on January 6, 1755. The title character was initially portrayed by a castrato, but is now performed by either a male vocalist with high falsetto or a female singer with a strong mezzo-voice.