Minghella made his directorial debut on Truly, Madly, Deeply

The Cold Mountain director will direct his first opera at the ENO's Coliseum home in London in November 2005.

The title role would be played by soprano Mary Plazas, "one of the most exciting singers in the country", Minghella said.

He began his career as a playwright before his directing debut Truly, Madly, Deeply in 1991.

He went on to write and direct film adaptations of Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient and Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr Ripley, as well as Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain.