La forza del desiderio

Força de um Desejo (trans. Power of a Wish) tells the story of the romantic disencounters between the courtesan Ester Delamare and Inácio Sobral the baron's son, both respectively played by the stunningly beautiful and talented Malu Mader and Brazilian heartthrob and award winning actor Fábio Assunção.

Set in the 1850s, known as the coffee era, as coffee production boomed in colonial Brazil, the era is masterfully recreated with replicas of 1850s São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Ester Delamare (Malu Mader) owns the most famous brothel at Rio de Janeiro's court. Inácio (Fábio Assunção) is one of the heirs to the lands of the Baron Henrique Sobral (Reginado Faria), his father, a farmer in the region of the Vale do Paraíba, where the two farms of the story are located as well as the fictitious town of Villa de Sant'Anna. In the midst of the political and economical changes of the epoch, Ester and Inácio live a troubled romance as a result of the evil schemes by the villains of the story. Because of a misunderstanding, Ester marries Sobral, not knowing that he's the father of her greatest lover. Sobral also doesn't realize that the ex-courtesan is the ruler of his son't heart. These three characters set up the main amorous triangle on this show.

In a primarily romantic and epic drama the critically acclaimed author Gilberto Braga along with newcomer Alcides Nogueira create a wonderful story you'll won't want to miss. Directed by Mauro Mendonça Filho, a promising young director, the cast includes the infamous Malu Mader and Fábio Assunção and the award winning Natália Thimberg, Paulo Betti and Reginaldo Faria with the charismatic performances of Cláudia Abreu and Cláudio Corrêa e Castro along with the talented Isabel Fillardis and newcomer Ana Carbatti and the critically acclaimed performance of young actor Selton Mello (also starring O Auto da Compadecida).

This is without a doubt a dramatic Brazilian epic.

What a fun Brazilian novela (soap opera) to watch!

"Força de um Desejo" ("The Strength of Desire" which is also known as "La Fuerza del Deseo" in the U.S.) not only has a romantic theme, a requisite factor for all novelas, it is also full of action, comedy, emotion, and lots of secrets. What's more, it contains a tantalizing murder mystery!

The story begins with Inácio Sobral and Ester Delmare. Inácio is the handsome, sensitive son of a wealthy coffee baron. Ester is a beautiful, smart, worldly and older courtesan with a heart of gold. Although an unlikely pair, the two fall in love and change each other's lives. When the couple is separated by one of the most vindictive characters in the history of a novela, Ester ends up marrying another man. The problem is that her new husband is the father of her true love - an important fact that she was unaware. A love triangle is formed between the father, son, and new wife - and that is where the true story begins.

The narrative is placed against the background of a spectacular coffee fazenda (plantation) during the days of slavery in Brazil. It is at a point in time when the institution of slavery is soon approaching an end, but not quite yet. The treatment of the slaves is graphic and eye opening. The costumes and set are authentic and historically correct.

In addition to the story of Ester and Inácio, there are other stimulating characters with interrelated and absorbing storylines. You will truly love to hate the antagonists and wholeheartedly cheer for the protagonists.

The entire cast does the novela justice in the portrayal of the characters. The cast includes some of Brazil's best and popular actors - Malu Mader (Ester), Cláudia Abreu (Olivia), Fábio Assunção (Inácio), Selton Mello (Abelardo), Natália Thimberg (Idalina), Paulo Betti (Higino Ventura) and many more. Well-known actress Sonia Braga also makes a guest appearance.

The director and writer of "Força de um Desejo" make a good team. Director Carlos Araújo is responsible for all-time novela hit "O Rei do Gado" (The Cattle King) and other successful novelas as "A Muralha" (The Wall), and Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos (Mrs. Flor and Her Two Husbands). Writer Gilberto Braga is known for winning novelas such as "Labirinto" (The Labyrinth), Dancin' Days and "Escrava Isaura" (Isaura the Slave).

Like icing on a cake, the music soundtrack makes "Força de um Desejo" even more delectable. The soundtrack contains music from the Orquestra de Filadélfia and Filarmônica de Viena and Brazilian musicians such as Simone, Daniela Mercury, Roger Henri and Virginia Rodrigues produce exquisite music for what has been described as an epic novela.