​​The Burning Question
(La domanda scottante)
1st performance at the Tete-à-Tête Festival
The Cockpit Theatre, London NW8 8EH
Thursday 1 September 2022

Revived at King's Head Theatre
​Wednesday 15 to Saturday 18 February 2023

music by Edward Lambert 
​words by Norman Welch & Edward Lambert
​with additional material by Ambrose Bierce (1842 - ca. 1914)
​and the Latin Requiem Mass

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. 

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. 

1st performance cast -
​Direction & design: Tabitha Benton-Evans
Movement: Jenny Weston
Arianna: Rosalind Dobson (soprano, chambermaid & angel)
The Pope: Arlene Belli (mezzo-soprano)
Ignacio: Peter Martin (tenor, the Pope's manservant & demon)
​S. Pietro: Samuel Lom (bass, security guard)
​Piano duet: Susan Norman & Elspeth Wilkes
​

February 2023 cast -
Revival director & movement: Jenny Weston
Arianna: Louise Fuller (soprano)
The Pope: Arlene Belli (mezzo-soprano)
Ignacio: Harry Grigg (tenor)
San Pietro: Samuel Lom (bass) 
Piano duet: Elspeth Wilkes, Stephen Westrop

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. 

(The production) "is a real company, thoroughly professional, affair from The Music Troupe, which can and maybe should provoke deeper thoughts, yet which can also certainly be enjoyed as a piece of fun on the surface." (Seen and Heard International, February 2023)

A comic opera - with an Italian hue
​
On Sunday 1st September 2019, the lift carrying Pope Francis to the Papal balcony got stuck. In the opera, this incident becomes a Dantesque dilemma concerning the destination of the soul: the Pope, now dead, is female. “She’s done some mighty good by cleansing the Church as only a woman could” - and so she’s now destined to carry on the good work in Hell. Ignacio, the demon valet, Hades’ son, is worried how daddy will react to a woman in charge. In any case, the Pope refuses the offer, but this begs the question - why is the lift not taking her skywards?  It takes a visit from Pietro to sort things out: it’s revealed that the Pope had a son from an affair with the Goddess of the Underworld... now a lusty young man, Ignacio’s desire for Arianna, the chambermaid, must produce the sparks that will ignite the cleansing fire of Purgatory.

Content advisory: comedy, mild satire on dying and religion, mild adult themes, some expletives

Production photos by Claire Shovelton

Production photos @tomtrevatt

Audience feedback for The Burning Question (September 2022)
The Burning Question' was my first opera. As such, I didn't know what to expect, but I'm glad I went - I was entertained throughout, despite being unfamiliar with the format. It was very expressive, i.e., the actors (and singers) were really into it, and the singing was spot-on. The staging was minimal but still gave a good sense of what was taking place, and it felt well-paced. Attending 'The Burning Question' has removed a preconception of a) it being stuffy b) that you have to have received an upper-class education to appreciate or enjoy it c) that it can’t be fun! (Greg .B.)

I’ve never been to an opera before I really loved the show and would love to see more. (Tom T.)

I, we, really enjoyed the performance. I think it was the first time I've seen a live opera and it was a highly enjoyable experience. It showed me that opera doesn't have to be big and grandiose for it to be epic. All of the drama, comedy and friction was simply packed into a concise 40 minute performance, in a small and well suited venue. The story was really well told, with excellent musical and acting  performances from the cast. The venue, The Cockpit, was a great setting for the size and production of the show. Based on the one-off performance that we saw, I would happily go again support any such future events. (Martin G.)

The Burning Question was my first ever opera experience and I enjoyed it immensely. As a complete newcomer I wasn't sure what quite to expect, but I found myself completely immersed in the story and music of the piece and was pleasantly surprised by how humorous the whole thing was too. It made me feel keen to see more opera as a whole, something which I hope to do again soon. (Jordan G.)

It was my first opera and it was funny, delightful and really entertaining. Incredible singing and wonderful storytelling. I definitely want to see more. (Naomi B.)

A fabulous introduction to opera, a wacky and wonderful story that has you gripped and giggling from the start. With the ancient pope dying in the lift all sorts of antics can begin. The music and singing is captivating leaving the first time opera goers wanting more! (Carry W.)

I absolutely loved The Burning Question! I’d never been to an Opera before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect – but I found it to be hugely accessible, interesting, funny and entertaining. I’ll 100% be returning for more! Modern Opera has a new 20-something fan thanks to Edward Lambert. (Phoebe R.)