L.A. Opera enlists David Cronenberg, William Friedkin and Woody Allen

IN DIRECTOR David Cronenberg's 1986 movie "The Fly" -- remember "Be afraid. Be very afraid"? -- scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) commits a fatal error when he combines his own genes with those of a common housefly. At Los Angeles Opera these days, another dicey blending of species is taking place: Film directors are mutating into opera directors -- with, it's hoped, less alarming results.

The Cuisinart that mistakenly mixes Brundle's DNA with that of an insect in "The Fly" is a "telepod," designed to teleport objects and, occasionally, living beings. At L.A. Opera, the experimental crucible is the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where three prominent auteurs -- Cronenberg, William Friedkin and Woody Allen -- have been at work on the productions that next weekend will kick off the company's 2008-09 season.

Friedkin and Allen share duties for "Il Trittico," a trio of one-act operas by Puccini opening Saturday in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Italian composer's birth. Friedkin, an L.A. Opera veteran, is directing "Il Tabarro" (The Cloak), the story of a tragic love triangle, and "Suor Angelica" (Sister Angelica), about a nun with a secret. Allen, staging an opera for the first time, is at the helm of "Gianni Schicchi," a romantic comedy he describes as "funny compared to 'Tosca,' not funny compared to 'Duck Soup.' "

Allen is convinced that Puccini must be celebrating his birthday by turning over in his grave. "I'm the average philistine at the opera who by the third act of Wagner's 'Siegfried' is asleep," he confessed recently. "I'm not the greatest choice in the world for this, but I'm doing my best, and hopefully nobody will get hurt."

As for Cronenberg, also an opera neophyte, the master of the macabre is directing “The Fly,” a new opera based on his 1986 picture, the 1957 short story by George Langelaan that inspired it and the 1958 film starring Vincent Price A co-production of L.A. Opera and the Théâtre du Chatelet — Paris, the new work was composed by Howard Shore, who has written the music for a raft of Cronenberg movies, including "The Fly," and whose other credits include the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and Martin Scorsese's "The Aviator." The opera had its world premiere in Paris in July and opens here next Sunday.