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Famed film, opera and theater director Franco Zeffirelli has died at the age of 96.
A spokesman for the foundation toldCNNthat the director died in Rome about two weeks after contracting pneumonia.
“He had suffered for a while, but he left in a peaceful way,“ Zeffirelli’s son Luciano toldCBS Newsabout his father dying peacefully at home.
The Metropolitan Opera added: “The Met mourns the loss of director Franco Zeffirelli, agreat visionaryin our company’s history. He created 11 Met productions, including his classic La Bohème, which is the most-performed staging in the company’s history. We extend our condolences to his family and friends.”
In an exclusive first-person account shared with PEOPLE, Schaech, who was 22 at the time, wrote that “He was trying to seduce me, under the guise of teaching me, from the start.”
In a statement to PEOPLE, Zeffirelli’s son Pippo called the accusations “not credible.”
Zeffirelli was born in Florence in 1923 after his mother had an extramarital affair with a wool and silk merchant, according toThe New York Times. His mother, who died when he was young, reportedly wanted his last name to be “Zeffiretti,” a reference to a Mozart opera, but the name was misspelled on his birth certificate.
Over the years, Zeffirelli went on to direct many notable operas, plays and movies, including his 1968 adaptation ofRomeo and Juliet. The film, which starred Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting, was a tremendous success at the box office and earned the director an Oscar nomination.
“There was nobody quite like Franco. He lit up a room when he entered it. He was so alive in life and when he directed. He brought out the best in actors- we all wanted to please Franco and his genius. He also gave actors the space to do and feel what they wanted with a role and only stepped in to direct and tweak something if he felt it was needed,” Hussey told PEOPLE in a statement. “He was my friend and my director. We were very close and had a special bond. I was 15 when we met and we stayed friends until now and forever really. We went through a very special experience and time together and I celebrate his long and fruitful life. I am grateful to have worked and known him and he takes a piece of my heart with him. I’m sure I will see him again.”
His other notable films include his 1967 adaptation ofThe Taming of the Shrew, starringElizabeth TaylorandRichard Burton, as well asHamlet(1990), which featuredMel Gibsonin the titular role.
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Zeffirelli was also elected to the Italian Senate twice, and was known for his conservative beliefs, including on the topic of abortion.
Later in life, he adopted two adult sons: Pippo and Luciano.
source: people.com
