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