With the exception of opera productions staged at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, starting from the 1970s, Zeffirelli's career had developed primarily abroad, on the stages of New York, Vienna, London, Paris and Rio de Janeiro. "Maria Stuarda" marked his return to Italian drama stages after an eight-year absence. Schiller's imposing drama was translated in Italian and adapted for the occasion by Zeffirelli himself together with Pasqualino Pennarola. The production boasted a magnificent set design and lavish costumes, but its strength lay in the unprecedented encounter between the two leading ladies: Valentina Cortese and Rossella Falk — two prominent names, two distinct professional paths, and two very different acting styles.