Acis and galatea is a tale concerning transient love, beauty and jealousy, and is told through music that encompasses the joyful and the melancholic handels first dramatic work in the english language, the story follows the nymph galatea and the shepherd acis, their love and adoration for each other, and the envious giant polyphemus who threatens their happiness. The first production of the boston early music festival to go on tour, acis and galatea is regarded as the finest example of that shortlived form, the english pastoral opera. One of the most hummable and bouncy tunes in the whole is sung by polyphemus, as he experiences love. Acis and galatea was the opera of handels most performed during his lifetime. Initially composed in 1718, the work went through many. The opera is based on a combination of two mythological stories involving the cyclops polyphemus. The libretto by john gay, based on ovids metamorphoses book xiii, tells of the eternal love between the mortal shepherd acis and goddess galatea and how. Boston early music festival revives the english pastoral. His killing of acis and his being blinded by ulysses the last of five operas porpora composed while residing in london, the opera. The opera, with a libretto by john gay, is based on ovids metamorphoses book.
Acis and galatea libretto english translation opera. So if you want to get into opera, where do you start. Handels pastoral opera is a tale of love, tragedy and liberation. Acis and galatea by g f handel and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Acis decides to fight polyphemus despite damons warnings. Krannert center for the performing arts, university of illinois at urbanachampaign. New belgrade opera presents acis and galatea a pastoral opera 1718 live performance 17 february 2019, belgrade, kolarac concert hall music. It tells of the love between acis, an arcadian shepherd, and galatea, a nymph, and the mortal jealousy of polyphemus, a giant. The work has been variously described as a serenata, a masque, a pastoral or pastoral opera, a little opera in a letter by the composer while it was being written, an entertainment and by the new grove dictionary of music as an oratorio. He created many versions of the work, transforming it from an english masque, to a bilingual italian and english serenata, and finally to the english language twoact opera that is most commonly performed today.
The opera, with a libretto by john gay, with alexander pope and john hughes, is based on ovids metamorphoses book xiii. Operas based on myths and legends english national opera. Galatea oh, didst thou know the pains of absent love, acis would neer from galatea rove. The sea nymph galatea pledges herself to the mortal shepherd, acis, but their idyllic existence is torn apart when the envious cyclops, polyphemus, arrives to claim galatea as his own. It is the first handel opera produced in opera idahos 47year history. Mark morris gets pastoral with opera acis and galatea the. Nymphs and their ways covent gardens acis and galatea by.
They are ordered by composer and name of the opera. Details of the first performance of acis and galatea are scant, but the original autograph score survives and tells us much about the orchestral forces and singers available to handel during his time at cannons. Galatea can do nothing to save him, but the chorus remind her that, although she cannot return him to life, her divine powers do allow her to make him immortal in one way. Handel treated the story of acis and galatea in two different works, the first a serenata a tre written while in italy in 1708, and the second this one a masque set to an english libretto written by none other than john gay of beggars opera fame. The story and myth of acis and galatea features pictures from mythology and legend. A list of the top opera music composers and their compositions. Galatea and acis used to mock polyphemuss songs of love for galatea. F acis and galatea opera by various artists on amazon music. Although the original libretto was by john gay, both alexander pope and.
Libretto by john gay and others perhaps alexander pope and john hughes after ovids metamorphoses. Acis and galatea is a mark morris dance group cal performances, berkeley celebrity series of boston production, in association with harrimanjewell series, kansas city. Details of the first performance of acis and galatea are scant, but the original autograph. Sosarme, re di media sosarmes, king of media, hwv 30 is an opera by george frideric handel written in 1732 for the kings theatre in the haymarket, london, where it ran for 12 performances. This is an index of libretto pages in the internet known to me. The libretto by john gay, based on ovids metamorphoses book xiii, tells of the eternal love between the mortal shepherd acis and goddess galatea and how it is doomed by the jealous cyclops polyphemus.
F acis and galatea opera mcgegan by nicholas mcgegan and tens of millions of other songs on all your devices with amazon music unlimited. He also wrote music for private performances, including acis and galatea and esther, the first english oratorio. The chorus warns acis and galatea of the jealous monster polyphemus, who loves galatea. Acis and galatea libretto free download as pdf file. The first of handels works presented in full for dublin audiences in 1734, nearly a decade before messiah, its easy on the ear and not a hard story to follow.
Aug, 2014 kilkenny arts festival a shepherd, a jealous giant, a nymph and her lover are the protagonists in handels 18th century miniature opera, acis and galatea, which is based on a pastoral myth. The early opera companys sparkling concert performance of handels 1718 opera acis and galatea, based on book xiii of ovids metamorphoses and directed from the harpsichord by christian curnyn. The tale of acis and galatea was told in book xiii of his fifteen books that made. It follows the english pastoral genre and was described by handel as a little opera, although it was not always fully staged, even in handels lifetime. In a jealous rage, and spurned by galatea, polyphemus hurls a boulder at acis and mortally wounds him. The opera is a tale of love between the nymph galatea, shepherd acis, and the jealous giant polyphemus. Oct 28, 2010 acis and galatea by george handel, directed by marshall pynkoski, conducted by david fallis, thomas macleay, mireille asselin, joao fernandes and lawrence wiliford opera atelier.
In some cases we have included scores of operatic works, mainly for most important works, or if a libretto was not available. Galatea, acis not showrs to larks so pleasing, nor sunshine to the bee, not sleep to toil so easing, as these dear smiles to me. Musiquen ar dels ny, dels af hendels opera acis och galatea, samt andre beromde mastares arbeten utsokt och i ordning satt afven af hofsecreteraren lalinp. The plan of the work resembles that of the later pastoral, though its musical setting is entirely different. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Pastoral contributor names handel, george frideric 16851759 composer. The libretto also borrowed freely from john drydens english translation of ovid published in 1717, the story of acis, polyphemus and galatea. Virtual music rare book room and was provided by unt music. It is 195 years since the last fullstage performance of acis and galatea at the royal opera house, but just 14 since the only production ever given on its main stage of dido and aeneas, so it was a very happy inspiration that the 250thanniversary of the death of handel and the 350th of the birth of purcell should see these works united. Mark morris gets pastoral with opera acis and galatea. Galatea soprano acis tenor damon tenor polyphemus bass chorus of shepherds and shepherdesses. As is typical of the genre, acis and galatea was written as a courtly entertainment about the simplicity of rural life and contains a significant amount of wit and.
The clever libretto must surely have played a part here, though handels tunes are often sublime, his rhythms infectious, his sad arias heartbreaking and his happy ones uplifting. Secure of ripe, rounded tone and exemplary as to diction, davies avoids the comic bluster that so often mars the role of polyphemuscrowes galatea is also appealing, her singing bright and characterful, attaining tragic dignity after the death of acisclayton is an admirably ardent and virile acisthe orchestral playing is excellent, with particular plaudits going to the oboists. Acis and galatea 1718 english libretto german translation spanish translation radamisto 1720 italian libretto muzio scevola 1721 italian libretto. Acis and galatea hwv 49 is a musical work by george frideric handel with an english text by. George frideric handels first dramatic work in english, acis and galatea, is the tale of two mythical lovers who first appeared in roman poet, ovids metamorphoses as with the majority of operas that turn to greek mythology for inspiration, handels opera stays true to legend. The first idea of handels famous pastoral acis and galatea, is to be found in a seranata, aci, galatea, e polifemo, which he produced at naples in july, 1708. Galatea ye verdant plains and woody mountains, purling streams. Royal ballet dido and aeneas acis and galatea royal opera house, london wc2. Known as the greatest pastoral opera, acis and galatea was composed by handel in 1718. Libretto by john gay and alexander pope, acis and galatea has more than a few levels of irony in it. The gruff polyphemus threatens to woo galatea forcibly, but the shepherd, coridon, counsels polyphemus to use gentler means to win galatea s heart. One of the most hummable and bouncy tunes in the whole is sung by polyphemus, as he experiences love wildly incongruous love. The story of acis and galatea was told by ovid in book iii of his metamorphoses, and.
Its these rhymes that make the libretto so special. Acis and galatea lincoln center for the performing arts. Join the beautiful nymph galatea, shepherd acis and the giant polyphemus as they. Billing, cooing, panting, wooing, melting murmurs fill the grove, melting murmurs, lasting love. It tells of the love between acis, an arcadian shepherd, and galatea. Since acis and galatea has been adapted many times, it is impossible to provide a single synopsis that accurately reflects every presentation of the work. The libretto by john gay, based on ovids metamorphoses book xiii, tells of the eternal love between the mortal shepherd acis and goddess galatea. At this, galatea is able to rejoice at the fact that she can turn him into an eternal fountain, and the opera ends with she and the chorus celebrating acis immortalisation. Chandos records is one of the worlds premier classical music record companies, best known for its ground breaking search for neglected musical gems. The english composer john eccles creates acis and galatea. Acis and galatea was written in its first english form for performance at cannons, the house of james brydges, later duke of chandos.
Indeed, several writers, such as musicologist stanley sadie, consider it the greatest pastoral opera ever composed. Acis and galatea tv movie 2009 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Acis and galatea was the pinnacle of pastoral opera in england. There have been many versions of the opera, but the one. There have been many versions of the opera, but the one that still survives today is an adaptation of the version handel composed in 1718. It follows the english pastoral genre and was described by handel as a little opera. Jealousy and devotion lie at the heart of handels adaptation of ovids classic tale of eternal love, acis and galatea. Acis and galatea hwv 49 is a musical work by george frideric handel with an english text by john gay. Acis and galatea, last produced by opera theatre company as recently as 2009, is a curious piece of music theatre. Galatea, acis the flocks shall leave the mountains. The official website for mark morris production of handels acis and galatea, arranged by mozart. Galatea uses her magic powers to change her dead lover. Jan 19, 2016 a pastoral opera composed by george frideric handel in 1718, with a libretto by john gay, alexander pope, and john hughes, acis and galatea tells the story of acis, the shepherd son of pan, and galatea, a sea nymph.
After handels move to england, he gave the story a new treatment in his pastoral opera acis and galatea with an english libretto provided by john gay. When he returns, no more she mourns, but loves the livelong day. Acis is squashed flat, which is a bit of a downer, but because this is a myth, galatea transforms him into a river and so the librettists manage, gamely, to drag a happy ending out of it. Madison operas acis and galatea gives demigods the. Personen des vorspiels, diana, amalthea, comus, jupiterverso of title page. Opera idaho joins boise baroque orchestra bbo and its newly appointed artistic advisor robert franz for a semistaged opera by george frederick handel, the most wellknown of all baroque composers. Air galatea as when the dove laments her love, all on the naked spray.
There is nothing insincere about the words or music, even if the combination of high and low brought humor. Read the libretto, translated to english, of the english opera acis and galatea by georg handel on opera. In some cases also texts of other vocal pieces similar to operas are included. Too short and too episodic to really be considered an opera in the true sense of the word, its light, buoyant score has nevertheless survived.
The libretto is by nicola francesco haym, based on an earlier libretto. Introduction to acis and galatea english national opera. In the history of opera, acis and galatea occupies a strange niche. Im by no means an expert but i think you could do a lot worse than to try handels acis and galitea, which is available in the splendid production by the royal opera house, covent garden. Her first book, warrior women and popular balladry, 16501850 has been reissued.