La Cieca’s spy, just returned from the Metropolitan Opera Guild luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria honoring Franco Zeffirelli, reports:

Lynn Redgrave did the voiceover for a video retrospective of Zeffirelli’s life, beginning with his origins as a “love child” (news to me).

But the highlight was Angela Gheorghiu. After performing two Romanian folk tunes nobody knew or really cared about, she did a very moving “O mio babbino caro,” literally singing it into his ear. Zeffirelli did a little comic bit of wiping his eyes and blowing his nose before embracing her. Nifty!

Zeffirelli and Gheorghiu are pictured above at Saturday night’s gala Bohème at the Met. Note also Paul Plishka (Alcindoro) and unidentified scruffy super.