Variety reports that the New York City Opera has commissioned Charles Wuorinen to compose an opera based on Annie Proulx's short story "Brokeback Mountain," the source of Ang Lee's acclaimed 2005 film.
Brokeback Mountain — the movie — caused a sensation in 2005. The story of a two-decade-long love affair between a ranch hand (Heath Ledger) and a cowboy (Jake Gyllenhaal), Brokeback Mountain won the best film award at the Venice Film Festival, in addition to a best director Oscar for Ang Lee, and best picture honors from most U.S. critics' groups.
It was also the odds-on favorite to take home the best picture Oscar, but a (probably small) majority of Academy members opted for Paul Haggis' bombastic Crash instead.
"Ever since encountering Annie Proulx's extraordinary story I have wanted to make an opera on it," Wuorinen was quoted as saying. The composer had previously been commissioned by the NYC Opera for the 2004 production of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, which was based on Salman Rushdie's novel.
The Brokeback Mountain opera is scheduled to premiere in the 2013 spring season.
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