In late February, actor Timothée Chalamet made controversial remarks about ballet and opera, sparking criticism and discussion from prominent figures in the entertainment industry, alongside social media backlash. Chalamet’s statements imply these artistic institutions are unpopular and irrelevant — a notion that we strongly disagree with as fans of art in all forms, even those that don’t receive the same recognition as films and television.
“I don’t want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore,’” Chalamet said, expanding on a previous point regarding his experience with the competitive nature of Hollywood film production. He added, “All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there.”
Regardless of intended effect, Chalamet’s statement comes off as dismissive of art forms that mean the same to others as cinema means to him. From set design to the orchestra hidden in the pit, the theater has a rich history of human expression. It is a place where universal human experiences, such as love, longing and death, are explored and often pushed beyond their limits. Combining visual and auditory art, emotions are amplified. A 60-piece orchestra backs a single moment of betrayal, and the physical limits of the human voice are pushed to express the internal passions of love and loss. When thinking about how art and theater have evolved over the years, it’s impossible not to trace technical and artistic foundations back to the opera house.
Opera performers themselves find his comments to be inaccurate at best. Operatic soprano Soula Parassidis said that Chalamet is judging the value of art “by the wrong metrics,” placing the worth of art on what it takes to maintain it rather than the impact of the art itself.
“What feels inaccurate in his comment is the suggestion that opera and ballet are merely relics people are trying to keep artificially alive out of habit or cultural obligation,” said Parassidis. “That is not why we keep producing and performing them. We return to great artists like Mozart and Verdi year after year because their work still helps us understand ourselves more deeply.”
Although operatic vocals have become less common on stage in recent years, the immense popularity of Broadway musicals demonstrates that the era of stage acting and the music that fuels it are far from dead. With the ongoing success of “Hamilton” after its initial release and the recent smash hit film adaptations of “Wicked”, the glory days of Broadway and physical theater still lie ahead. To us, a revival of more traditional forms of theater, such as those mentioned by Chalamet, is not out of the question for the future of art.
Not to mention, some of the most notable actors of this generation got their start in theater or on Broadway. This includes Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver, Viola Davis and countless others. These art forms have a plethora of knowledge for actors to build the foundations of their careers. The rich history these esteemed stars have in theater is proof of how valuable it can be for the training and education of artists, including those who’ve become cultural favorites.
While we feel that the outrage from Chalamet’s comments has been a bit blown out of proportion, certainly, his remarks were disrespectful to artists in these prestigious communities. Chalamet’s own mother majored in dance at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York, and he himself starred in the autobiographical play “Prodigal Son” in 2016, winning a Lucille Lortel Award and gaining a nomination for a Drama League Award. These foundations of his acting experience highlight the hypocrisy of his words and the importance of these art forms, which he believes no one cares about anymore.
Ballet dancer Misty Copeland, who happened to be featured in promotional material for “Marty Supreme,” also responded to Chalamet’s remarks, expressing “there’s a reason that opera and ballet have been around (for) over 400 years.” Being the first Black and female ballerina for the American Ballet Theater, Copeland argues that all art forms should be promoted instead of compared against one another.
“I think that when you have access, you have (the) opportunity to be a part of something, (and) it can change your life,” Copeland said.
Ballet has also had a significant influence on fashion, art, music and many styles of dance, transforming the way in which people tell stories through movement. It’s an art form that has more than earned its respect. It’s a majority-female artistic profession, making it not only a cultural staple but a feminist institution.
It’s okay not to want to star in an opera or lace up a pair of pointe shoes, but we believe it’s incredibly important to acknowledge the important contributions opera, theater and ballet have added to our modern artistic landscapes. In an era where films are produced with shorter attention spans in mind and human-made art is sidelined for AI creations, centering genuine and innately human art has never been more important.
