The Valkyrie Ensemble, a feminist opera collective based in Chicago, will present an all-femme production of Händel’s “Acis & Galatea” on July 24 and 25 at Chicago Danztheatre.

The Valkyrie Ensemble’s production sets the action of the work poolside, with the piece performed in English with piano accompaniment.

The cast includes soprano Jessica Adkins as Galatea, soprano Ana Marie Miranda as Acis, mezzo-soprano Melanie Dubil as Damon, and mezzo-soprano Demi VanderWerff as Polyphemus, with soprano CeCe Glass, soprano Aliyah Necaise, mezzo-soprano Jack Whittle, and mezzo-soprano Katrina Dubbs serving as covers. Matt Mason is music director and pianist, and Beck Buechel and Marnie Baylouny produce for the ensemble.

“Acis & Galatea was the first Handel opera I saw that made me fall in love with Handel. The comedy infused drama and the dancing vocal lines sparkle from start to finish,” Alannah Spencer, a member of the ensemble and the production’s stage director, said, per an official press release.

Founded in 2020, The Valkyrie Ensemble works to address gender imbalance in opera by supporting women, non-binary, and trans singers and artists, and anchors its season with an annual mainstage production alongside its variety show “Glitter and Be Gay.”