Timothy Lee Miller/composer

The Bird Lady (2017-2021)

A chamber opera in two acts


An eccentric young woman known as the Bird Lady lives a life of timeless simplicity in a well-tended garden with only her equally eccentric gardener for human company — until a brash young man determined to build his dream home buys the adjoining lot. When the Bird Lady and her new neighbor clash over the felling of a tree planted squarely on the property line, sparks fly.


Libretto by Germaine Shames

Additional Text by Linda Marcus & Julie I. Meyers


Cast:

ANNABELLE - Soprano (range D4-Bb5)

MARCUS - Tenor (range C3-Bb4)

PERCY - Baritone (range G2-G4)

CHORUS - SAAB - three birds and a bee


Instrumentation:


1 - Flute (piccolo, alto flute)

1 - Oboe (English horn)

1 - Clarinet (bass clarinet)

1 - Bassoon

1 - Piano (celesta)

Strings:

      Violin I & II

      Viola

      Violoncello

      Contrabass


Total running time: c. 2 hours 15 minutes


For performance and rental information, please send an email to tlmillmus@gmail.com with inquiries.


Individual arias from the opera are available for performance. Please click the Art Songs tab above to be directed to the art song page.


Preview Showcase Premiere given (Act I only) on October 31, 2021, at Marc A. Scorca Hall of the National Opera Center, New York, New York.


(Item #: OP 128)

Opera Projects

(Click on scores to view)

Vocal-Piano Score

Full Score

LISTEN To Audio

Mock-ups:

Click on one of the audio links above, then click the corresponding score to the left to view as you listen.

A showcase premiere of Act I was presented on October 31, 2021 by OperAvant, Inc. at Marc A. Scorca Hall of the National Opera Center. Please see the video of the performance above.

Libretto