Celebrities Can’t Save Opera. Public Funding Can.
Timothée Chalamet's offhand jab at “dying” high culture sparked celebrity outrage. But without robust public investment and democratic ownership, opera and ballet will keep shrinking into elite pastimes instead of surviving as vibrant public art forms.
Far too many of Timothée Chalamet’s critics are ignoring the role of public infrastructure in the modern life of the performing arts. (Anthony Wallace / AFP via Getty Images)
Timothée Chalamet was one of the more discussed Oscars snubs this week. For months since the film’s release, critics have celebrated his performance in Marty Supreme as the work of a young actor well on his way to greatness. Chalamet pulled out all the stops both in promoting the film as well as spearheading its Oscar campaign. The film itself earned stellar reviews and made $180 million worldwide, garnering nine Academy Award nominations. Yet it went home empty-handed.
Despite all this, most of the commentariat claims Chalamet deserves the slight. Not because he wasn’t great in the film but because of his recent comments on opera and ballet.
Chalamet has found himself in hot water thanks to a now-viral interview where he quipped that “no one cares” anymore about those two art forms. The incident is now being cited as one more piece of evidence that the young actor has let fame go to his head.
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