In November 1946, Zeffirelli moved to Rome after accepting a job offer: Luchino Visconti, an established film and theatre director, had formed his own theatrical company and had offered Zeffirelli a contract as an actor.
Soon, however, Visconti realized that Zeffirelli had broader interests and, above all, an exceptional talent as a set designer. He persuaded him to give up his ambitions as an actor, encouraged him to deepen his studies in scenography, and invited him to join as an assistant on the production of a rather special film: "La terra trema".
In the autumn of 1948, Visconti entrusted Zeffirelli with a daunting task: bringing to life the sets and costumes designed by Salvador Dalí for "Rosalinda". This marked Zeffirelli's first encounter with Shakespeare’s works, which would later prove pivotal in shaping his career. Dalí was a versatile and already famous artist, but he had very little experience in scenography and theatre. Zeffirelli, with his expertise in stagecraft, proposed brilliant solutions to bring Dalí's fascinating visions to life.
Following this success, Visconti assigned him the creation of the sets for the company’s next production.