Brokeback Mountain opera

Brokeback Mountain set to become an opera

The Oscar-winning 2005 movie Brokeback Mountain, which starred late actor Heath Ledger, is set to be turned into an opera.

The New York City Opera has commissioned Charles Wuorinen to compose an opera based on the story, which was written by Annie Proulx in 1997.

The show is set to premiere in 2013, City Opera confirmed this week.

It will be its second collaboration with Wuorinen following Haroun and the Sea of Stories, which opened in 2004 and was based on the novel by Salman Rushdie.

Wuorinen says: ‘Ever since encountering Annie Proulx's extraordinary story I have wanted to make an opera on it, and it gives me great joy that Gerard Mortier and New York City Opera have given me the opportunity to do so.’

Brokeback Mountain is the story of two cowboy ranch-hands (played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in the movie), who fall in love when they meet on the mountain.

The film won three Academy Awards for Best Achievement in Directing (Ang Lee), Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay.