Several major opera companies hit back after Timothee Chalamet made comments about the relevance of classical performing arts.
The reaction followed remarks in which Chalamet said he would not want to work in ballet or opera if those art forms needed to be kept "alive" despite declining public interest.
The responses followed comments Chalamet made during a Feb. 24 Variety and CNN town hall discussion with actor Matthew McConaughey.
"I admire people — and I've done it myself — who go on a talk show and say, 'Hey, we've got to keep movie theaters alive, we've gotta keep this genre alive,'" he said.
Opera organizations responded online, highlighting audience demand and the large creative teams behind their productions.
The Metropolitan Opera posted a video montage on Instagram emphasizing the various departments involved in staging an opera, including musicians, costumers, and set designers.
The video included on-screen text quoting part of the actor's statement: "All respect to the opera (and ballet) people out there," followed by a caption directed at the actor: "This one's for you, @tchalamet …"
Other companies referenced audience demand for their productions. LA Opera pointed to ticket sales for its current staging of "Akhnaten."
"Sorry, @tchalamet. We'd offer you complimentary tickets to Akhnaten, but it's selling out," the company wrote on Instagram.
"There are a few seats left to purchase if you hurry."
The U.K.'s Royal Ballet and Opera also extended a public invitation for Chalamet to attend a performance. In an Instagram video, the organization noted that "thousands of people" fill their seats nightly "for the sheer magic of live performance."
The caption added: "If you'd like to reconsider, @tchalamet, our doors are open."
During the conversation with McConaughey, Chalamet added that audiences will go out of their way to support the entertainment they want to see.
"And another part of me feels like if people want to see it — like 'Barbie,' like 'Oppenheimer' — they're gonna go see it and go out of their way to be loud and proud about it."
Chalamet also referenced classical performing arts in the same discussion.
"I don't want to be working in ballet or opera or things where it's like, 'Keep this thing alive even though no one cares about this anymore,'" he continued. "All respect to the ballet and opera people out there."
Separately, in another conversation with McConaughey published by Variety on Feb. 21, the 30-year-old actor spoke about criticism he experienced earlier in his career while working with an ensemble cast.
"No names, but the guy was a punk," Chalamet said. "He asked me what conservatory I had gone to, and I said I didn't go to an acting conservatory."
"And he said, 'Well, you haven't trained as an actor then.' And we were all part of an ensemble."
Chalamet said he learned to tune out unsolicited advice.
"I always said, 'Beware of the people in life that get more of the advice they give you than you get at the advice,'" he said.
"They're thrilled by the act of giving you advice. All of a sudden, you can't listen to what they're saying anymore because they're flexing on you so hard."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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