How Can Gen-Z Revive Ballet and Opera?

Timothèe Chalamet has faced extensive backlash after openly targeting opera and ballet in a recent interview. He criticised those who “keep this thing alive even though no one cares about it anymore,” resulting in an online uproar. Is the outrage justified, or is he spotlighting a deeper issue in the classical arts?

Opera and ballet are undeniably the backbone of modern entertainment, influencing centuries of global history. Despite their cultural weight, the industries are losing funding and engagement at an alarming rate. Timothée’s claims may have lacked nuance, but they may also have raised an uncomfortable question: where have the ballet and opera fans gone? Other than when a celebrity appears to attack them, how often are people rushing to the defense of these industries?

Classical performance relies on external patrons to stay afloat – without the attention of mainstream media, it becomes increasingly underfunded and struggles to engage new audiences. Younger generations in particular may perceive ballet and opera as expensive and inaccessible to them, yet are willing to spend hundreds on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour, a groundbreaking cultural experience. Could we instead reinvent classical performance to compete against modern entertainment?

Gen Z finds it hard to connect with something so disconnected from today. Going to the opera sounds completely out of touch with reality – but maybe that’s the appeal. The whimsy of a girls’ night out dressed in black tie and pearls to see an extravagant performance with wigs and costumes and melodrama may be exactly what we’re missing. Rather than being a dull, outdated, and overly formal event, could we not reshape going to the opera and ballet to be an immersive night of glamour and escapism? And the visuals – unmatched. Grandiose and intricate costumes with stunning set dressing and breathtaking venues, all rarely found in contemporary media. Maybe romanticising a night at the opera is just the thing to rebrand the classical arts.

The Royal Ballet and Opera TikTok page have already seized this discourse to respond with their message: “we care.” Chalamet may have unknowingly triggered a new surge of interest in preserving ballet and opera, this time leveraging the powerful means of social media. With the industries reframing the narrative to defend their legacy, they may have captured a new generation of ballet and opera fiends, reigniting a passion the classical arts can no longer afford to forget.