ZEFFIRELLI-COSI, FRANCO

frängˈkō zāf-fērĕlˈlē-kôˈsē, 1923–, Italian opera, stage, and film director and designer, b. Florence. Zeffirelli had his first successes as assistant to the director Luchino Visconti in the films Troilus and Cressida and The Three Sisters. His first opera production was La Cenerentola for Milan's La Scala, after which he became known chiefly for his opulent opera productions. He has mounted productions of Falstaff (1964, revival 2002) and Antony and Cleopatra (1966), among others, for the Metropolitan Opera Company. Zeffirelli's films include The Taming of the Shrew (1966), Romeo and Juliet (1968), Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1973), The Champ (1979), Endless Love (1981), La Traviata (1983), Hamlet (1990), Jane Eyre (1996), and Tea with Mussolini (1999).

See his autobiography (1986).

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