When dreams of enduring love are shattered but comfort in loss can be achieved, that, for many, will be the key takeaway from Acis & Galatea, a profoundly touching work made all the more remarkable by Royal Melbourne Philharmonic’s (RMP) poignant, richly layered and brilliantly sung concert performance at Melbourne’s Assembly Hall on Tuesday evening.
Based on a myth from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the story concerns the love between the shepherd Acis and the semi-divine water nymph Galatea. Having been separated, it begins with Acis (Timothy Reynolds) and Galatea (Lily Flynn) each longing to see one another – something that Acis’ friend Damon (Alastair Cooper-Golec) lightly trivialises – before they are reunited. The jubilance of Act One, however, is cut short as Act Two takes on a darker, tension-fuelled aura.
The giant Polyphemus (Nicholas Dinopoulos) interrupts the lovers’ declaration of constancy, desiring Galatea for himself, and kills Acis with a blow from a rock. Reminded of her divine powers, Galatea transforms Acis into a stream so that he may live on eternally in its waters.
It could be said that, just as Galatea preserves Acis by transforming him into a stream, Handel’s music preserves his legacy, allowing his voice to resonate long after his death. The work was hugely popular in its day – a tale of love and loss set to music that has coursed for more than 300 years since its premiere in 1718.
Poet and playwright John Gay wrote the libretto, adapted in part from John Dryden’s English translation, along with other contributions. It is a compact, poetic work written in rhyming couplets and stanzas, to which Handel’s sumptuously hued score lends expressive vitality.
In all respects, RMP Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Andrew Wailes approached the work with measured sensitivity. Melbourne’s Gothic Revival Assembly Hall – a fine venue little known to many – provided warmth, resonance and intimacy, bringing performers and audience together under Wailes’ attentive stewardship.
A small chamber orchestra of ten musicians, with harpsichordist Stefan Cassomenos at its centre, shaped the work’s shifting moods with generosity and finesse. Accenting the core string group, Kailen Cresp’s ornamental flights, switching between oboe and recorder, were particularly impressive, while the rhythmic foundation from Matthew Angus (bassoon) and Lachlan Dent (cello) likewise glowed. It was a stellar effort from all players.
Complete with birdsong-like calls, the uplifting naturalism of the opening Sinfonia and first choral number flowed “like a brook when it trips and falls over stones on its way,” to borrow a bucolic image from The Sound of Music. Oh, the pleasure of the plains! was delivered with infectious joy, as 55 RMP choristers – positioned at the rear – navigated shifting moods: from foreboding warnings of doomed love (Wretched lovers! Fate has past), to funereal grief (Mourn, all ye muses!), and finally consolation (Galatea, dry thy tears), with unity, flexibility and expressive assurance.
Presenting an abundance of vocal dynamism, what stood out among the four soloists was the nuance each brought to voice and tone, deepening character and intensifying the drama.
As Galatea, Flynn’s opening da capo aria Hush, ye pretty warbling quire! was both translucent and fluid. With engaging purity, she drew the audience in, sustaining emotional clarity through to her final aria, Heart, the seat of soft delight, delivered with precision and a cut-crystal soprano. Effortless-seeming yet powerful, Flynn appears destined for further success.
Reynolds imbued Acis with genuine warmth, deploying a well-supported tenor marked by appealing legato and clear diction. Particularly compelling was Act Two’s Love sounds th’alarm, delivered with ardency and control, while his duets with Flynn were sensitively aligned and emotionally heartfelt.
Bobbing about with uncommon endearment as Polyphemus, Dinopoulos executed astonishing form in both voice and character, leaving no doubt that there was room for a sympathetic view of this supposed monster – one easily imagined as a societal outcast. Dinopoulos stormed the second act with monumental power and gusto, beginning with a mighty O ruddier than the cherry, employing effective guttural bass-baritone heft while bringing a level of humanity not often found in the role.
Damon, the opera’s steady observer, was rendered with understated assurance by Cooper-Golec. His Shepherd, what art thou pursuing? carried an easy lyricism and quiet authority, elevating what can seem a minor role into something more essential.
Under Wailes’ direction, RMP delivered a polished and meaningful account of one of the Baroque era’s greatest hits and most enduring works, reaffirming the innate charm and emotional power of Acis & Galatea. Its return is eagerly anticipated.
Acis & Galatea
Assembly Hall, 156 Collins Street, Melbourne
Performance: Tuesday 5 May 2026
Information: www.rmp.org.au
Images: Royal Melbourne Philharmonic presents Acis & Galatea – photos by Paul Dodd
Review: Paul Selar