Bruce Beresford will direct the Sergei Rachmaninoff romance Rhapsody for producers Ed Pressman, and FrederickMuller and Floyd Bradley of London-based Prelude Features.

Beresford will direct from a screenplay by Timothy Prager aboutthe life and loves of the Russian composer.

Prelude obtained exclusive rights to the story from AlexandreRachmaninoff in Switzerland, as well as music rights from Rachmaninoff's musicpublishers.

The story is based on that told by Rachmaninoff's widow Natalya toher grandson Alexandre and includes previously unpublicised details concerningthe secretive pianist and a complex love triangle.

Muller will produce with Pressman, while Bradley and Prager willserve as executive producers.

EMI Records became involved inthe project's early development and has granted Prelude synchronisation rightscovering its complete library of Rachmaninoff recordings.

The music major has also signed on to produce and distribute thefilm's soundtrack.

It won't be the first time that Beresford has tackled a composer's life, having previously looked at Gustav Mahler in Bride Of The Wind in 2001.