Galatea, a sea nymph....Elsie Suddaby
BBC Chorus
(Chorus-Master, Leslie Woodgate )
BBC Orchestra
(Section B)
Leader, Paul Beard
Conductor, Sir Adrian Boult
Acis and Galatea opens with the chorus of nymphs and shepherds singing of their happy life. But Galatea, a sea-nymph, expresses her melancholy feelings at the absence of her lover Acis, a shepherd. Presently Acis returns and each sings to the other a charming- air, finally joining together in the duet, ' Happy, happy, happy we !
The lovers' happiness is of only short duration, for they are warned that the giant Polyphemus is striding over forest and mountain after Galatea. She runs away, but Polyphemus pursues her. Damon, a shepherd, intervenes, and Acis proclaims he will defend Galatea until death. But while the lovers are declaring that they will never leave each other, Polyphemus hurls a rock at them and Acis is killed.
. The nymphs and shepherds entreat the grief-stricken Galatea to transform Acis into a god, though in doing so Galatea realises that as an immortal Acis can never belong to her. Acis is seen rising up as a god while the chorus sings an extended version of ' Happy we I '