"Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", now a classic of 20th-century American drama, was first performed on Broadway in October 1962. Zeffirelli saw the production, wanted to meet Albee, and secured the rights to stage the play in Italy and France, with the idea of involving Anna Magnani, who had not performed on stage for many years.
Unexpectedly, Magnani declined the proposal, and since the play had already been selected for the 22nd Festival Internazionale del Teatro di Prosa in Venice, Zeffirelli decided to move forward with the production. Rehearsals began with Andreina Pagnani, who soon withdrew: the play was very long (over three hours on Broadway) and highly demanding, especially for an otherwise great actress who had been primarily focused on lighter material for years. Zeffirelli then turned to Sarah Ferrati, who accepted, suggesting some cuts, and performed the play after only two weeks of rehearsals.
The production was a success, as evidenced by the extensive Italian tour, and Zeffirelli's collaboration with Sarah Ferrati and Enrico Maria Salerno was renewed in the years to come. More importantly, it marked the director's first encounter with contemporary drama, a harsh, transgressive, and “scandalous” text, far removed from the more classical and seemingly traditional productions for which he is often remembered.