A great love story, the sea nymph Galatea’s passion for her shepherd Acis turns from joy of the opening pastoral to dark despair as Acis is slain by Polyphemus. Acis and Galatea, with libretto by John Gay, was first performed at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden (the name of the first theatre on the Royal Opera House site), in 1736. It received further performances in 1824 in the second Theatre Royal.

Sung in English