The libretto, by the composer, is based on Antonin Artaud's 1932 text, La conquête du Mexique, but also included elements of Artaud's Le théâtre de Séraphin and of poetry by Octavio Paz (his 1937 poem, "The Root of Man").

The work also cites an Aztec poem believed to be from the early 16th century, originally written in Nahuatl.

La Malinche (danced role), (who was in fact the interpreter between the two), fails to re-establish dialogue.

Montezuma's funeral commences and this sparks off the Aztecs and Spaniards to massacre each other (an event which did not take place in history).

When all are dead, the voices of Cortez and Montezuma are heard in duet for the first time, singing the last verse of the poem by Paz.