| Terra Nostra | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Telenovela |
| Created by | Benedito Ruy Barbosa |
| Opening theme | "Tormento D'amore" - Charlotte Church and Agnaldo Rayol |
| Country of origin | Brazil |
| Language(s) | Portuguese |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 221 |
| Production | |
| Location(s) | Brazil Italy |
| Running time | 65 mins |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Rede Globo |
| Original run | August 20, 1999 – June 3, 2000 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Suave Veneno |
| Followed by | Laços de Família |
Terra Nostra (English: Our Land) is a Brazilian telenovela, which was produced by and broadcast on Rede Globo in 1999.This telenovela was sold to 31 country around the world.
The story is set in the late 19th century and takes place at a time when slaves were freed in Brazil and there was a need for workers, especially on the coffee fazendas (plantations) of Brazil. As a result new laborers were sought and a large number of Italians, looking for a better life, immigrated to Brazil to work there.
Unlike many telenovela stories, the characters are not larger than life in "Terra Nostra." Instead, they are like everyday people who make everyday decisions. Consequently, the viewers can relate to what is happening in the story.
"Terra Nostra" was written by Benedito Ruy Barbosa and directed by Jayme Monjardim. Both men are responsible for writing and directing other first-rate stories. The telenovela has many shots of nature and scenery.
Musical director, Marcus Viana, puts together a music soundtrack for the telenovela. It is mainly filled with traditional Italian songs that are performed musicians such as Charlotte Church, Caetano Veloso, Zizi Possi, and Jerry Adriani. The soundtrack also includes original instrumental music by Viana, also a musician with experience from making soundtracks for other shows.
"Terra Nostra" has been successfully shown worldwide, from places such as Tahiti, Russia, Greece, Canada, Peru, the United States of America, Mauritius, Serbia, Hungary, and Philippines to Italy, Spain, Croatia, Portugal and many more. [Demasio, Fafa (7 November 2001), IMDB User Comment, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0202765/usercomments, retrieved 19 November 2009]
[ IMDB Cast List, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0202765, retrieved 19 November 2009]
This historical telenovela tells the story of these Italian immigrants. It focuses on the relationship of Giuliana Esplendore and Matteo Batistela (Actors Ana Paula Arosío and Thiago Larceda) who meet each other during the voyage to Brazil.
Giuliana and Matteo immediately fall in love and plan a life together. Unfortunately, fate and some people do not plan it that way. A series of mishaps befall the couple and keep them apart. When they finally reunite, their conduct affects not only their lives, but also other people they have met along the way.
Moral issues arise which produce fruitful debate for the television viewers. There are no simple answers because none of the characters or issues are strictly right or wrong, black or white. The issues and personalities are gray and will cause the viewers to change their minds during the storyline. [{{Citation | last = Demasio