Brokeback Mountain

City Opera Vancouver is making plans to give the world premiere of Brokeback Mountain in 2015. This will be the unique chamber version, which will follow on the premiere of ‘El Grande’ at the Teatro Real in Madrid one year earlier.

We signed the Letter of Intent with composer Charles Wuorinen on 5 April 2011. The libretto has been written by Annie Proulx, author of the original short story.

That story was first published in the New Yorker in October 1997. Director Ang Lee made the film Brokeback Mountain in 2005, starring the late Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Both short story and film have earned vast critical and popular acclaim, and are now widely acknowledged as classics. The story and screenplay may be found here.

In June 2008, Gerard Mortier (then General Director of New York City Opera) announced the commissioning of Brokeback as an opera. Unfortunately, for financial reasons NYCO has suspended mainstage operations at the present, and Mortier took the project with him to Madrid.

Two years ago, City Opera Vancouver proposed that the work become a chamber opera. Our belief is that the intimacy of the story, and the close-up nature of its telling, makes this a perfect project for our company. Following lengthy and very amicable negotiation, Mortier, Wurorinen and Proulx have agreed. Wuorinen himself will re-score for a chamber orchestra. Every other element of the production will be unchanged from the Madrid version.

Proulx and Wuorinen are among the most acclaimed artists of our time. This will be an exceptional and deeply moving production. Click to read Proulx’ and Wuorinen’s biographies.

There is much work to do, of course. We are now raising money, and giving first thoughts to casting. Ennis is a bass-baritone, and Jack a tenor.

Exciting news to come!

Twist Ranch House (2009) photo courtesy Grendel Sherbundy