Synopsis
The goddess Galatea impatiently awaits the arrival of her mortal lover, Acis. He is unable to find her, but stumbles upon Damon, his shepherd friend, who tells him that the pursuit of love is fruitless, and that instead he should simply enjoy mortal pleasures. Acis ignores him, and he and Galatea are united in an atmosphere of exultant love.
The second act heralds the arrival of the cyclops Polyphemus, who is also in love with Galatea and furious that she has chosen a mere mortal over him. He intends to have her by any means necessary, but Damon extols the virtues of gentility in the pursuit of a beautiful woman. He then warns Acis that he cannot win against the giant, but rather than backing down, Acis is determined to defend himself and Galatea against the advances of Polyphemus. As the lovers are swearing eternal fidelity to one another, Polyphemus spies them and can finally contain his rage no longer: he crushes Acis beneath a boulder. 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. 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.
The second act heralds the arrival of the cyclops Polyphemus, who is also in love with Galatea and furious that she has chosen a mere mortal over him. He intends to have her by any means necessary, but Damon extols the virtues of gentility in the pursuit of a beautiful woman. He then warns Acis that he cannot win against the giant, but rather than backing down, Acis is determined to defend himself and Galatea against the advances of Polyphemus. As the lovers are swearing eternal fidelity to one another, Polyphemus spies them and can finally contain his rage no longer: he crushes Acis beneath a boulder. 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. 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.
