'Il Postino' opera is in the works

Tenor Placido Domingo will create the role of Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda in a new opera, "Il Postino," by Mexican composer Daniel Catan, Los Angeles Opera company artistic director Edgar Baitzel said Friday.

The premiere will be in Los Angeles in 2009. The work was inspired by Antonio Skarmeta's novel "The Postman," originally titled "Burning Patience" and turned into a hit 1995 Italian film, "Il Postino" (The Postman), which was nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture.

Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon will be cast as the postman. Villazon sang Romeo in Gounod's "Romeo and Juliet" for L.A. Opera in January. Catan is also the librettist. The work will be sung in Spanish.

Chris Pasles