For those who enjoy a soap opera, Brazil is fertile ground, as the overwhelming majority of general TV channels in the country transmit, on average, four soap operas daily. Invariably, much of this material eventually goes around the world, being bought and broadcast in other countries. One of the most permeable markets for Brazilian teledramaturgy is, of course, my country, due to its cultural and linguistic proximity. I watched "Alma Gémea" at the premiere in Portugal in 2005, and again about six years later when it was reprised.
The plot is based on the immortal love between a rich producer of roses, Rafael, and his late wife, Luna. Years after her death, he discovers that she reincarnated in the body of a young Indian, Serena, and decides to marry her to the hatred of Christina, who aspired to marry him in order to control his fortune. So far, the only truly new or different thing in this soap opera is the subject, always controversial, of reincarnation. I confess, it's not a dramatic feature that works out very well, at least with me, and I think the story could have been rethought so as not to include it, but that is my personal opinion. The soap opera works very well, harmoniously combining a somewhat melodramatic romance and a series of truly good humorous moments.
Among the actors, I would like to say that this was probably the biggest and best opera soap of Priscila Fantin's career, which secured the leading role with great talent and sweetness. Flávia Alessandra was a compelling and hateful villain, but the fact that she constantly needed the advice of her mother, very well interpreted by the veteran Ana Lucia Torre, slightly affected her character sometimes. Eduardo Moscovis was well in the role of Rafael, but even better than he, in my opinion, was Emílio Orciollo Netto, who is responsible for the biggest slice of soap opera comedy moments. Still worthy of note are Luigi Baricelli, Fernanda Souza, Malvino Salvador, Elizabeth Savalla and Liliana de Castro.
