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 old 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.

Why an opera about birds? Artists have long drawn inspiration from birds; their beauty, flight and musicality are unrivaled. Today, we are painfully aware that bird populations face global conservation challenges, with 389 North American bird species (or 2/3) facing a high risk of extinction in the near future according to a recent Audubon report. Birds perform vital ecosystem services, including pest control, sanitation, seed dispersal and pollination. A world without birds would be far less verdant and far more prone to famine and disease.

THE BIRD LADY challenges us to deepen our connection to the natural world while recognizing the fragility of all living things. At this historical juncture of collective soul-searching, we’d do well to crane our necks and ask ourselves the question at the heart of this opera: How far are we willing to go to protect what we love?

Composer: Timothy L. Miller

View a showcase performance of Act One: https://youtu.be/HLLm5qsXlZ0

Note: Both a small-ensemble chamber version and an expanded highschool/college version of the opera are available.