Franco Zeffirelli
(c) Ufficio Stampa, Firenze
In the historical part of Florence, the Franco Zeffirelli International Center of the Performing Arts (Centro per le arti dello spettacolo Franco Zeffirelli) has been inaugurated yesterday in the absence of the 94-year-old film and theater director, who could not attend the event due to poor health.
In the rooms of the former Court of Piazza San Firenze, a sumptuous baroque building near Palazzo Vecchio, Fondazione Zeffirelli has established an Academy to educate the artists of the future through costume and acting courses. Concerts and conferences will present young musical talents.
At the same time, the building hosts a museum about Zeffirelli’s work, displaying some 500 sketches of production sets, photos, screenplays and storyboards that Zeffirelli made during his long career as well as over ten thousand books from his personal library.
The City of Florence has made available the property with an affordable rental fee.
