About this Piece

   Good Morning, Beauty 

   Rising 

   Or Am I in a Rut?  

   Dearly, Queerly

Good Morning, Beauty is a cycle of four romantic and humorous songs that explores the emotions and realities of being queer in a long-term relationship. 

The project started late in 2023, when Classical Pride London approached me about composing a single song for its 2024 Festival at Barbican Hall. In need of a new text, I started dreaming of a collaboration with the great Taylor Mac. A mutual friend connected us and he said yes! Not long after, he sent the glowing, inspired lyric for the song “Good Morning, Beauty.” The emotion and words felt so true and clear to me that the song practically set itself. It received its premiere in July 2024, featuring soprano Pumeza Matshikiza with the London Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Oliver Zeffman.  

That collaboration went so well that a consortium of three companies (the LA Phil, Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and Classical Pride London) asked us about adding three more songs to create a full cycle. What emerged is what Taylor refers to as “a present to queers in long-term relationships.”  

The cycle begins with the gratitude and wonder of waking every day next to the person you love, then jumps to some of the very human challenges of partnering for life: the annoying routines that creep up on us, the ruts and misunderstandings. It ends with the humor, longing and complexity of queer love—and the pressures of navigating the dominant culture’s fear of it—alongside its beauty and simplicity.  

At the Barbican in London (July 3, 2025), Classical Pride will premiere the third song (“Or Am I in a Rut?”) with mezzo Jamie Barton and the London Symphony Orchestra led by Oliver Zeffman. 

The world premiere of the full cycle will take place during Classical Pride at the Hollywood Bowl (July 10, 2025), performed by three singers: soprano Pumeza Matshikiza, mezzo Jamie Barton and countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. Each will sing a solo song, then join together for the fourth. The LA Phil will be led by Oliver Zeffman.  

At the Cabrillo Festival (Aug 10, 2025), mezzo-soprano Nikola Printz will perform the entire cycle with the Festival Orchestra, led by conductor Cristian Mǎcelaru. —Jake Heggie