Timothee Chalamet's opera and ballet remark struck a nerve perhaps because it felt uncomfortably true | amNewYork

"I don't want to be working in ballet or opera things where it's like 'Hey, keep this thing alive,' even though it's like no one cares about this anymore. All respect to the ballet and opera people out there."

"Chalamet made the comment while discussing whether artists should feel responsible for saving certain forms of entertainment. At one point he joked that he would not want to work in art forms that constantly frame themselves as needing preservation."

Timothée Chalamet's remark during a CNN and Variety town hall that he wouldn't work in opera or ballet because no one cares about them anymore triggered widespread pushback from the performing arts community. The comment resonated particularly because Chalamet, a prominent young actor educated at New York's prestigious LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, was expected to appreciate classical traditions. Chalamet made the statement while discussing whether artists bear responsibility for preserving entertainment forms, joking that he wouldn't want to work in fields constantly framing themselves as needing preservation. Despite adding respectful caveats, his remarks touched on an uncomfortable reality about perceptions of classical arts' contemporary relevance, prompting ballet dancers, opera singers, and arts institutions to defend their fields on social media.

Read at www.amny.com