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Italian director Franco Zeffirelli passed away

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Italian director Franco Zeffirelli passed away


17.06.2019

Photo: photosight.ru

The outstanding theater and film director Franco Zeffirelli died in Rome at the age of 97. One of the most important directors of the second half of the 20th and 21st centuries will be buried in his native city of Florence, RIA Novosti reports.

Franco Zeffirelli for many years was a friend of Russia, repeatedly visited the country, worked with Russian directors and artists. He is honored with Russian awards.

Franco Zeffirelli (his real name is Gian Franco Corsi) wanted to become an architect but World War II changed his plans. He became a partisan of the Italian Resistance, and later a translator for the Scottish Guard. His passion for theater came to him after the war; as an artist, he prepared sets and costumes for films and theatrical productions of the legendary Luchino Visconti.

Zeffirelli presented his first film to the public in 1957. Ten years later his screen versions of Shakespeare's plays The Taming of the Shrew and Romeo and Juliet made him world-famous. He shot many outstanding features, created film adaptations of opera performances, put on plays in the theater. The last film of Zeffirelli, Callas Forever, was released in 2002.

The legendary director repeatedly brought his productions to Russia. In 2007 he accepted an invitation from the Russian side and staged the Pagliacci opera in the Kremlin Palace. Franco Zeffirelli loved working with Russian actors and dancers.

Note, back in 1982, he shot the opera film La Traviata, in which an outstanding pair of Soviet dancers Vladimir Vasilyev and Ekaterina Maximova danced. After more than a quarter of a century, Vladimir Vasiliev was invited by the choreographer to the new production of La Traviata, which was performed by Franco Zeffirelli.

Fifteen years ago, Franco Zeffirelli received a joint award of the heads of Russia and Italy for his contribution to world culture. Russkiy Mir reported that the director was awarded the Triumph International of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia three years ago. In March of 2018, an opera ball was held in the Moscow Kremlin Palace, timed to coincide with the 95th anniversary of Franco Zeffirelli.

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