Cambio madre

The story of a couple who want to get divorced and discuss this with their children for the first time.

Cambio madre por moto is a chamber opera by Frank Nuyts to an original libretto by best-selling Spanish author Rosa Montero. This was the final commission that Gerard Mortier submitted as intendant of the Madrid Opera (Teatro Real). Following Mortier’s departure from Spain in 2013, the opera was removed from the repertoire and after his death in 2014 was left lying in a drawer.

Ten years later, Flanders Festival Ghent presents the world premiere of Cambio, in collaboration with Muziektheater Transparant, the Dutch ensemble Asko|Schönberg, and soloists from the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel under the musical direction of Benjamin Haemhouts and directed by the young Belgian director Aïda Gabriëls.

With a light touch and in contemporary Spanish, Rosa Montero’s libretto tells the story of a husband and wife who want to divorce and discuss this with their children for the first time. To make matters worse, the husband’s mother and the lawyer turn up. The latter is a family friend who specializes in divorce law, but he turns out to be closer to the mother than expected … So, plenty of ingredients for

incisive dialogues full of familiar arguments back and forth. ‘The children come first!’, the parents repeat like a mantra, but whether this is actually the case remains to be seen …

Credits

• Composition • Frank Nuyts
• Libretto • Rosa Montero
• Direction • Aïda Gabriëls
• Musical direction • Benjamin Haemhouts
• Ensemble • Asko | Schönberg Ensemble
• Soprano • Emma Posman / Graciela Morales
• Mezzo soprano • Marie-Juliette Ghazarian
• Tenor • William Branston
• Bariton • Thierry Vallier
• Bass bariton • Wilfried Van Den Brande