The Music Troupe to Present IN FIVE YEARS' TIME, New Chamber Opera by Edward Lambert, in UK

The Music Troupe will present In Five Years' Time, a new chamber opera by Edward Lambert at The Space Theatre in London and The Croft Hall in Hungerford in late February and early March.

In Five Years' Time is a 'drama in song' based on the surrealist play Así que pasen cinco años by Federico García Lorca, Spain's favourite poet. Five years to the day after writing it, when the nationalists rose up on the outbreak of civil war, Lorca was executed — and so this dream-like work turned out to possess more than a hint of prophecy.

Lorca himself had said it would be impossible to stage, but The Music Troupe has put together a cast of 8 singers — playing a total of 14 roles — to present this operatic adaptation in cabaret-style. The cast includes Rosalind Dobson, Lucy Gibbs, Mae Heydorn, Fiona Hymns, Jean-Max Lattemann, Chris Murphy, James Schouten, and Thomas Stevenson.

"We must keep the wheel turning so that opera is shown to be 'cool' and relevant", said Schouten. "Lambert's operas strike a compelling balance between a musical bedrock and theatrical flair."

"And there's nothing like great singing!" said Lambert. "The Music Troupe was set up to create showpieces for classically-trained singers which would entertain both opera fans and newcomers with something fresh and stimulating."

Performances at The Space Theatre are on Tuesday, February 24 at 7 p.m.; Wednesday, February 25 at 7 p.m.; Thursday, February 26 at 7 p.m.; Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, February 28 at 4 p.m.