Florante at Laura

"Florante at Laura" is a song written by Filipino poet Francisco Baltazar (also known as Balagtas). It is considered his greatest work and is often called a masterpiece. It was written in 1830.

Unlike songs sung by artists nowadays, Florante at Laura was written with no specific melody in mind, like other Filipino songs of the time. Hence, many refer to it as a poem.

The plot starts in the middle of the conflict and eventually goes full circle. Florante, the main protagonist, is tied to a tree. He laments some loss which the reader is unaware of. He is later saved by a Muslim from Persia, Aladin, and tells his story from his childhood until the time he was carried to the tree.

Most of the song is this story of Florante; the actual events after his story comprise only a few chapters of Florante at Laura. In the end, the lover of Aladin, Flerida, saves Florante's own lover just as Aladin saved Florante. Florante and Laura return to Albania (their home country) and become king and queen. Aladin and Flerida are baptized and return to Persia.