As early as 1958, Zeffirelli had envisioned a film adaptation of the opera "La Traviata": he wanted to capture Maria Callas’s performance on film, but also to use cinematic language to fully express his interpretation of Verdi’s masterpiece. According to Zeffirelli, the opera tells the story of Violetta’s final hours, during which, in a delirium of agony, she recalls the key moments of her love affair with Alfredo. The project never came to fruition, and years later Zeffirelli prepared a film adaptation of Dumas fils’ novel — the source of "La Traviata" — which was to star Liza Minnelli. This second attempt also remained unrealized. Finally, in 1982, having found the perfect leading actress in Teresa Stratas, Zeffirelli made the film on a sound stage at Cinecittà, with lavish sets and exquisite costumes designed by Piero Tosi.
"La Traviata" was released in theatres and received many international awards, including Academy Award nominations for production design and costume design.