Just one week ahead of a potential third Academy Award win, Marty Supreme star Timothée Chalamet showed no signs of keeping a low profile — sparking conversation across the creative world, particularly in ballet and opera.
Last week Chalamet appeared in a one-to-one sit-down with Matthew McConaughey, his Interstellar co-star, at the University of Texas Austin. His comments on ballet and opera, arts which he deemed “where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore’” sparked outrage on social media from performers and supporters of the arts alike, with prominent Boston institutions entering the fray to defend the relevance and vitality of the disciplines.
Boston Ballet responds: “Are you sure about that, Timothée?”
Boston Ballet was quick to answer. The company posted a YouTube Shorts video juxtaposing Chalamet’s remarks with audience reactions to its current program, Winter Experience, effectively letting theatergoers speak for themselves.
In the clip, Boston audiences praised Crystal Pite’s production as nothing short of excellent. Among the reactions:
“For the first time, tonight, I thought and really realized that the movement of the body, in and of itself, is a piece of art.”
“It’s my first time ever to see something like that. I come from Ireland, and it was worth it. It’s better than wrestling, boxing, or any of that stuff.”
“It was striking. It brought us both to tears.”
“No words, it was the best thing I have ever seen.”
The success of ballet in Boston that contradicts Chalamet
Boston’s ballet scene is in no doubt invigorating, from Boston Ballet’s high-intensity, high-voltage contemporary and neo-classical productions to the city’s more immersive and accessible shows which introduce new audiences to the art form. Ballet of Lights in Boston blends classical technique with contemporary staging, light-up costumes, and a more relaxed atmosphere, offering a vibrant gateway into the art form. With performances from Citizens Opera House to The Huntington Theatre, if anything, Boston is proving that ballet isn’t fading quietly into the background anytime soon.
