NEW YORK - Franco Zeffirelli, who has directed film, theater and opera worldwide, is being honored this weekend for the dozen lavish productions he created that "shaped the history" of the Metropolitan Opera.

European News IN BRIEF --ROME FrancoZeffirelli would like to make over what he called Pope Benedict XVI's "cold" image and his "showy" clothes.

Tenor Roberto Alagna marched off the stage at La Scala when the audience booed him during the second performance of Franco Zeffirelli's "Aida." He was replaced seconds later by his understudy, who rushed on wearing jeans.