First Bluebird in the Morning

T H E F I R S T B L U E B I R D I N T H E M O R N I N G for tenor, violoncello and piano Commissioned by Los Angeles Opera Music C A R L O S S I M O N Libretto Sandra Seaton ~ CSJr. Music ~ 2021

PROGRAM NOTES

This piece was in part inspired by the play, The Will by Sandra Seaton:

“Peach Orchard Hill. I still dream about it. Nothing but death everywhere. In front of me, in back of me. Before we left that day, I looked down one more time. Saw things again, the way I hadn't seen them before. A patch of ﬂowers, ol' teacup blue. I could see it, feel it. That little bit of life.”

TEXT

THE FIRST BLUEBIRD IN THE MORNING

The ﬁrst bluebird

In the morning

Flew over the barbed wire. Flew in then out Again and again

Over the barbed wire.

I see you, Blue Bird. I see you.

Dressed for your ﬂight with your blue feathers and your long wings.

Here in the joint. Here in this place.

There’s a deﬁnite routine.

A certain time

A gray time

A time to get up

A gray time

A time to get dressed. March to the kitchen.

To knead the bread. Here In the joint.

Here Here

I see you, Blue Bird Dressed in your ﬁnery. I see you. Your wings are long.

Come morning, come morning I'll shed these gray clothes Come morning. My time is up.

I’ll ﬁnd my good suit, wash my own clothes, Bake my own bread

Come morning. Come morning. Come morning.

Come morning We’ll ﬂy away.

Copyright Sandra

Seaton

2021

Duration: 5 min

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First Bluebird in the Morning

Published on Oct 5, 2023

Carlos Simon

The First Bluebird in the Morning stunningly brings to life the thoughts of an imprisoned man on the day before his release. Equal parts sobering, heartfelt and moving, this work is created by director and choreographer Jamar Roberts, and features composer Carlos Simon's setting of verses by playwright and librettist Sandra Seaton. This piece was in part inspired by the play The Will by Sandra Seaton: “Peach Orchard Hill. I still dream about it. Nothing but death everywhere. In front of me, in back of me. Before we left that day, I looked down one more time. Saw things again, the way I hadn't seen them before. A patch of flowers, ol' teacup blue. I could see it, feel it. That little bit of life.”