Franco Zeffirelli, Italian Cinema and Opera Maestro, Dies at 96
On June 15, 2019, Franco Zeffirelli, the esteemed Italian director known for his work in film and opera, passed away in Rome at the age of 96 after battling a prolonged illness. He was surrounded by his children, Pippo and Luciano, along with his Jack Russell terrier, Dolly. Born in Florence in 1923, Zeffirelli pursued studies at the Liceo Artistico and the Academy of Fine Arts, ultimately obtaining a degree in Architecture. He served in the partisans during WWII and later contributed to Radio Florence. His operatic career flourished in cities like Milan and Naples, with his international debut in 1958 featuring La traviata. Notable films include Romeo and Juliet (1968) and Hamlet (1990). He was honored with five David di Donatello awards and became a Knight Commander in 2004. In 2017, he donated his archive to Complesso San Firenze.
Key facts
- Franco Zeffirelli died at age 96 in Rome on June 15, 2019.
- He was born in Florence in 1923 to a family of English cloth merchants.
- He studied at the Liceo Artistico of the Convent of San Marco, the Academy of Fine Arts, and the Faculty of Architecture.
- He joined the partisans during World War II and later worked for Radio Florence.
- Luchino Visconti was his mentor and he worked as Visconti's assistant director.
- He staged operas including Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri (1953), La Cenerentola (1954), and Il Turco in Italia (1955) with Maria Callas.
- His film Romeo and Juliet (1968) starred Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey.
- He received five David di Donatello awards, two Nastro d'Argento awards, and 14 Oscar nominations.
- In 2004, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his Shakespeare productions.
- He donated his archive to the Complesso San Firenze in Florence two years before his death.
Entities
Artists
- Franco Zeffirelli
- Luchino Visconti
- Salvador Dalí
- Maria Callas
- Richard Burton
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Leonard Whiting
- Olivia Hussey
- Mel Gibson
- Glenn Close
- Giulietta Simionato
- Mirella Freni
- Graziella Sciutti
- Grace Bumbry
- Leyla Gencer
- Giuseppe Di Stefano
- Gianni Raimondi
- Franco Corelli
- Plácido Domingo
- José Carreras
- Luciano Pavarotti
- Leonard Bernstein
- Carlos Kleiber
- Flavia Farina Cini
- Alessandro Brissoni
Institutions
- Accademia di Belle Arti
- Faculty of Architecture
- Radio Firenze
- University Theatre of via Laura
- Compagnia teatrale Il Carro dell'Orsa Minore
- Accademia Chigiana di Siena
- Civic Opera House (Dallas)
- Royal Opera House (London)
- Opéra de Paris
- La Scala (Milan)
- Metropolitan Opera House (New York)
- Complesso San Firenze
Locations
- Florence
- Italy
- Rome
- Via Appia
- Milan
- Genoa
- Naples
- Palermo
- Dallas
- United States
- London
- United Kingdom
- Paris
- France
- New York