Italian opera genius Franco Zeffirelli to stage Aida in Astana

Internationally renowned director of opera productions, Academy Award nominee, two-time Emmy Award and BAFTA winner Zeffirelli will stage the opera at the Astana Opera and Ballet Theater. La Scala's production of Aida will premiere in Astana on November 19-22. The 91-year-old Zeffirelli says this is the best production in the history of the Milan-based theater and, hopefully, it will be very successful in Kazakhstan. Born in Florence, Italy, Zeffirelli first rose to stardom as an actor. Zeffirelli's first film as director was a version of The Taming of the Shrew, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, followed by the success of Romeo and Juliet in 1968. The Italian was also a major director of opera productions, including La Traviata (1958), Tosca (1964) and many more.