Franco Zeffirelli
Biography
Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli KBE, Grande Ufficiale OMRI (12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019), commonly known as Franco Zeffirelli (Italian pronunciation: [ˈfraŋko dzeffiˈrɛlli]), was an Italian director and producer of operas, films and television. He was also a senator from 1994 until 2001 for the Italian centre-right Forza Italia party.
Some of his operatic designs and productions have become worldwide classics.
He was also known for several of the movies he directed, especially the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet, for which he received an Academy Award nomination. His 1967 version of The Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton remains the best-known film adaptation of that play as well. His miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977) won both national and international acclaim and is still frequently shown on Christmas and Easter in many countries.
A Grande Ufficiale OMRI of the Italian Republic since 1977, Zeffirelli also received an honorary British knighthood in 2004 when he was created a KBE. He was awarded the Premio Colosseo in 2009 by the city of Rome.
Acting (16 movies)
A Magic Friend: The Maestro Nino Rota
1994
Luchino Visconti
2002
Angelina
1947
Our World
1967
Discovering Hamlet
2011
The Mystery of Dante
2014
Franco Zeffirelli: Rebel Conformist
2022
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
2014
Callas Assoluta
2007
The Go-Go Boys: The Inside Story of Cannon Films
2014
The New Met: Countdown to Curtain
1966
My Name Is Anna Magnani
1980
Callas: A Documentary
1978
The Opera House
2017
Sartoria Tirelli - Vestire il cinema
2006
Pulcinella - Ieri e oggi
1973
Directing (49 movies)
Hamlet
1990
Brother Sun, Sister Moon
1972
Tea with Mussolini
1999
The Champ
1979
Romeo and Juliet
1968
The Taming of the Shrew
1967
Sparrow
1994
Jane Eyre
1996
Callas Forever
2002
La traviata
1982
Endless Love
1981
Camping
1958
12 Directors for 12 Cities
1989
Pagliacci
1987
Otello
1986
Aida
2001
La Traviata - Arena di Verona
2019
Young Toscanini
1988
La Bohème
1965
The Metropolitan Opera: Turandot
2022
Puccini: La Bohème
2008
Don Carlo
1992
Verdi: Aida
2006
Zeffirelli's Inferno
2017
Turandot
1987
Carmen (Arena di Verona)
2014
Carmen aus der Arena von Verona
2022
Carmen
1978
Carmen
2010
Carmen
1997
Madama Butterfly
2004
Cavalleria rusticana
1982
For Florence
1966
La Traviata
2002
The King of Ads
1991
La Boheme
2004
The Metropolitan Opera: La Bohème
2018
Puccini: La bohème
1982
Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci
1978
Arena di Verona: Il Trovatore
2020
Falstaff
1993
Tosca
1985
Maria Callas Sings Tosca, Act II
1964
Don Giovanni
2015
Don Giovanni
2000
Otello - The Met
1978
Georges Bizet: Carmen
2022
La Bohème
1979
Turandot
2022
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Camping | 1958 | Screenplay |
| The Taming of the Shrew | 1967 | Screenplay |
| The Taming of the Shrew | 1967 | Producer |
| Romeo and Juliet | 1968 | Screenplay |
| Brother Sun, Sister Moon | 1972 | Screenplay |
| Hamlet | 1990 | Screenplay |
| Sparrow | 1994 | Screenplay |
| Jane Eyre | 1996 | Screenplay |
| Callas Forever | 2002 | Screenplay |
| Zeffirelli's Inferno | 2017 | Writer |