The opera is a mix of ancient and modern mythologies as well as history. Jonathan Cross has commented that the work, "like so many of Birtwistle's operas...is concerned with mythology" and is more about "the idea of Kong" rather than King Kong as such. He has also analysed parallels between this work and Birtwistle's earlier opera "The Mask of Orpheus". Robert Adlington has critically discussed the relationship of the opera's music to the words. David Beard has examined in detail the relationship of various forms of images to the music and Birtwistle's and Hoban's collaboration.