Franco Zeffirelli
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.
Photos
Movies (91)
Piero Bargellini - il sindaco dell'alluvione
2026 · Himself (Archive footage)
The Metropolitan Opera: La Bohème
2025 · Stage Director, Director
Giacomo Puccini: Turandot
2024 · Stage Director
Georges Bizet: Carmen
2022 · Director
Franco Zeffirelli: Rebel Conformist
2022 · Self
Turandot
2022 · Director
La Traviata
2022 · Stage Director, Production Design
Carmen aus der Arena von Verona
2022 · Director
The Metropolitan Opera: Turandot
2022 · Director
Arena di Verona: Il Trovatore
2020 · Director, Set Designer
La Bohème - Wiener Staatsoper
2019 · Director
The Metropolitan Opera: Turandot
2019 · Set Designer, Production Design, Director
La Traviata - Arena di Verona
2019 · Director
The Metropolitan Opera: La Bohème
2018 · Director, Production Design, Set Designer
The Opera House
2017 · Self (archive footage)
Zeffirelli's Inferno
2017 · Director, Writer
Don Giovanni
2015 · Director
The Go-Go Boys: The Inside Story of Cannon Films
2014 · Self
Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
2014 · Self - Director
Carmen (Arena di Verona)
2014 · Director
The Metropolitan Opera: La Bohème
2014 · Production Design
The Mystery of Dante
2014 · Self
Discovering Hamlet
2011 · Self
Turandot - Puccini - Live from Verona
2011 · Director
Carmen
2010 · Director
Puccini: Turandot
2009 · Production Design
Luchino Visconti: Life as in a Novel
2008 · Self
Puccini: La Bohème
2008 · Director, Stage Director
Callas Assoluta
2007 · Self (archive footage)
Verdi: Aida
2006 · Director
Sartoria Tirelli - Vestire il cinema
2006 · Self
La Boheme
2004 · Director
Madama Butterfly
2004 · Director
Maria Callas: Living and Dying for Art and Love
2004 · Self
Bizet: Carmen
2003 · Stage Director
Callas Forever
2002 · Director, Original Story, Screenplay
Luchino Visconti
2002 · Self
La Traviata
2002 · Director
Dino De Laurentiis: The Last Movie Mogul
2001 · Self
Aida
2001 · Director
Don Giovanni
2000 · Production Design, Director
Tea with Mussolini
1999 · Director, Novel
Carmen
1997 · Director
Jane Eyre
1996 · Screenplay, Director
A Magic Friend: The Maestro Nino Rota
1994 · Self
Sparrow
1994 · Screenplay, Director
Falstaff
1993 · Director, Production Design, Set Designer
Don Carlo
1992 · Director
The King of Ads
1991 · Director
Hamlet
1990 · Screenplay, Director
Don Giovanni
1990 · Production Design
12 Directors for 12 Cities
1989 · Director
Young Toscanini
1988 · Director, Original Story
Pagliacci
1987 · Director
Turandot
1987 · Production Design, Director
Otello
1986 · Director, Adaptation, Production Design
Tosca
1985 · Set Designer, Director
StrataSphere: Portrait of Teresa Stratas
1983 · self
La traviata
1982 · Adaptation, Director, Production Design
Cavalleria rusticana
1982 · Director
Puccini: La bohème
1982 · Director, Production Design, Set Designer
Endless Love
1981 · Director
My Name Is Anna Magnani
1980 · Self
The Champ
1979 · Director
La Bohème
1979 · Production Design, Director
Carmen
1978 · Director
Otello - The Met
1978 · Director
Callas: A Documentary
1978 · Narrator
Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci
1978 · Director
Lorenzaccio
1977 · Stage Director
Verdi: Otello
1976 · Stage Director
Pulcinella - Ieri e oggi
1973 · Self - Documentary host
Brother Sun, Sister Moon
1972 · Screenplay, Director
Romeo and Juliet
1968 · Director, Screenplay
Our World
1967 · Self
The Taming of the Shrew
1967 · Producer, Screenplay, Director
Much Ado About Nothing
1967 · Stage Director
For Florence
1966 · Director
The New Met: Countdown to Curtain
1966 · Self
La Bohème - Teatro alla Scala
1965 · Director, Production Design
Maria Callas Sings Tosca, Act II
1964 · Director, Lighting Supervisor
Maria Callas: At Covent Garden, 1962 and 1964
1962 · Music Director, Stage Director
Camping
1958 · Director, Screenplay
The Bachelor
1955 · First Assistant Director
Senso
1954 · Assistant Director
Empty Eyes
1953 · First Assistant Director
Bellissima
1952 · Assistant Director
La Terra Trema
1949 · Assistant Director
Angelina
1947 · Filippo Garrone
L'ACCADEMIA MUSICALE CHIGIANA
1947 · Scenic Artist, Costume Coordinator
Omaggio a Roma
· Director
TV shows (15)
La historia de Brooke Shields
2023 · Self (archive footage)
Legends
2006 · Self
Sternstunde Kunst
1998 · Self
Vivement dimanche
1998 · Self
Television
1985
The South Bank Show
1978
Jesus of Nazareth
1977 · Director, Writer, Creator
Les Rendez-vous du dimanche
1975 · Self
Apostrophes
1975 · Self
Spécial cinéma
1974 · Self
Who's Afraid of Opera?
1972 · Costume Designer
Le Grand Échiquier
1972 · Self
Film '72
1971 · Self
aspekte
1965 · Self
Tempo
1961 · Self