Name: The Burning Question
Start: 2023-02-15T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2023-02-18T00:00:00.000Z
Location: King's Head Theatre

Organization

Soprano

Louise Fuller

Arianna

Mezzo-soprano

Arlene Belli

The Pope

Tenor

Harry Grig

Ignacio

Bass

Samuel Lom

​S. Pietro

Choreographer

Jenny Weston

The Music Troupe

The Burning Question

London

United Kingdom

King's Head Theatre

Public

Approved

Music: Edward Lambert
Words: Norman Welch, Edward Lambert, Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914(?))
 
Attended by a demonic manservant and an angelic maid, the first female Pope has died. She now wants nothing less than a cosy retirement in paradise, but Someone has other ideas and the elevator going upwards gets stuck. It’s a Day of Wrath! What does St Peter, the Caretaker, know? Does he hold the key to the plot? Accompanied by piano duet and a choir of heavenly voices, this is a satire that confronts the ridiculous, the sublime, love, death and comic opera all at the same time.
 
Music: Edward Lambert
Words: Norman Welch, Edward Lambert, Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914(?))
Direction & Design: Tabitha Benton-Evans Movement: Jenny Weston
Arianna: Rosalind Dobson (soprano) 
The Pope: Arlene Belli (mezzo-soprano) 
Ignacio: Peter Martin (tenor) 
​S. Pietro: Samuel Lom (bass) ​
Piano Duet: Susan Norman & Elspeth Wilkes

The Burning Question is a new, comic opera about the adventures of a female pope who’s recently passed into the afterlife. She was so successful in the job that she’s now required to go and sort out Hell. 

​Attended by a demonic manservant and an angelic maid, she was expecting nothing less than a cosy retirement in paradise, but Someone has other ideas and the elevator going upwards gets stuck. It's a Day of Wrath! What does St Peter, the Caretaker, know? Does he hold the key to the plot?

Accompanied by piano duet and a choir of heavenly voices, this is a satire that confronts the ridiculous, the sublime, love, death and comic opera all at the same time. ​

The production is choreographed in the lively style of commedia dell’arte. The music owes much to Italian opera and is performed by a superb cast of young professionals. It delighted audiences when first performed at Tête-à-Tête: The Opera Festival in 2022.

English

The Burning Question by Lambert, Fri 17 Feb 2023, From (2023/2023), King's Head Theatre, London, United Kingdom

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Programme, About & Synopsis

Videos

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues