Acis and Galatea

Masque in two acts by Handel to a libretto by John Gay and others after Ovid (1718, Cannons), distinct from his Aci, Galatea e Polifemo (1708, Naples).

Acis and Galatea (Handel). Libretto by John Gay and others; 2 acts; first performance Cannons, Edgware, nr. London, 1718, possibly director by Johann Christoph Pepusch. Better defined as a masque or pastoral.

Mythological times. Galatea, a sea-nymph, is in love with the shepherd Acis, but their love is threatened by the jealous giant Polyphemus. The lovers ignore warnings of danger. Polyphemus kills Acis. Galatea transforms him into a stream.

Ovid's story of the shepherd Acis and his love for the nymph Galatea (from Metamorphoses) has formed the basis of several ballet librettos, including Hilverding (Vienna, 1753), Noverre (mus. Aspelmayr, Vienna, 1722), O. Viganò (Venice, 1782), and Fokine (mus. G. Kadletz, St Petersburg, 1905).

Acis and Galatea may refer to:

• Acis and Galatea (mythology), a story in Greek mythology
• Acis and Galatea (Handel), a composition by George Frideric Handel, later rescored by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

See also

• Acis et Galatée, an opera by Lully

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