Immortalised in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the tragic love story between the sea-nymph Galatea and Acis, destroyed by his rival, the Cyclops Polyphemus, held such a fascination for Händel that the composer eventually dedicated two dramatic musical compositions to it. The first is commonly regarded as the pinnacle of the pastoral operas, and it was one of the greatest operatic successes during Händel’s lifetime. Acis and Galatea was Händel’s first opera with a libretto in English, written by John Gay, who later came to fame with The Beggar’s Opera.

Gulbenkian Orchestra and Choir
Leonardo Garcia Alarcón Conductor
Ana Quintans Soprano (Galatea)
Marco Alves dos Santos Tenor (Acis)
André Henriques Baritone (Poliphemus)
João Miguel Rodrigues Tenor (Damon)
João Terleira Tenor (Corridon)

Marie Mignot Staging
Luís Fradique and Marie Mignot Light design

Georg Friedrich Händel
Acis and Galatea, HWV 49a (Arr. Mozart, 1788)

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