Opera Holland Park’s hugely successful season (I’d probably leave only Edgar out of that mix) continues with its first ever Handel opera, Acis and Galatea. This was originally designed to be a masque and there are echoes of this in the tableaux in the stage’s rotundas and green swards when everyone freezes to put their best profile forward. This is typical of director Louise Bakker’s gentle teasing of her material. The music – surely some of Handel’s loveliest – sings out as it should but the audience’s eye is delighted, too, by a beguiling staging that charms and amuses in equal measure.
The story is pretty straightforward. Galatea is a sea nymph and, surrounded by her band of spirits, is intent on a life of innocent pastoral pleasure until she falls instantly in love with Acis, a shepherd and also, unfortunately for her, a mere mortal. Despite the best efforts of her spirits and Acis’s friend Damon to dissuade the pair, they declare their love and doom enters immediately in the form of the Cyclops, Polyphemus, who intent on having Galatea for himself, attacks and kills Acis. This is, though, Handel and Greek myth so Galatea uses her powers as an immortal to make Acis immortal too – in the form of a crystal stream.
Elizabeth Karani as Galatea and Anthony Gregory as Acis in Acis & Galatea at Opera Holland Park
The setting of Holland Park for this Midsummer Night’s Dream-like piece is perfect. It is thought the opera, originally created for the Duke of Chandos, may have been performed outdoors in his parkland designed to look, as was the eighteenth-century fashion, like an idealised version of nature. Musically, it is faithful to the original, too, with a pint-sized version of the City of London Sinfonia, playing strings, recorders, oboes and a bassoon and harpsichord as well as (by Paula Chateaneuf) the rarely seen theorbo. Under the baton of Michael Papadolopoulos, they play sweetly enough to charm the birds from the trees.
This does, in fact, happen when, to Galatea’s “Hush, Ye Pretty Warbling Quire” the ensemble flutter paper birds around her. That’s not all they do in Merry Holden’s delightful choreography. They frolic in feathers and antlers, petals and furs. They dance with ribbons around the columns of the arbour. They lay fairy lights out across the stage – the crystal stream of Acis. Best of all, they are the most hilarious and often recalcitrant sheep, occasionally escaping into the auditorium, baa-ing indignantly when rounded up (I wonder what Handel would have made of the extra vocals).
All this is a complete delight and gives the evening a gentle comedic touch while keeping the music itself serious. There is a formidable array of singers. As Galatea, we were warned Elizabeth Karani was not on top form. You’d never have known from her easy, graceful soprano that shone with warmth. Her Acis was Anthony Gregory and his rich tenor blended perfectly with Karanni, notably in “Happy We”, their love duet. Ruari Bowen was an excellent Damon and his long “Softly, Gently” aria one of the highlights of the evening. As Polyphemus, Chuma Sijeqa’s was curiously engaging – strange given he is the dreaded villain of the piece.
A summer evening’s delight.
Performances of Acis and Galatea continue at Opera Holland Park on 26th and 31st July, and 2nd August, at 7.30pm. For more information, and for tickets, please visit www.operahollandpark.com.
Photos by Ali Wright
