The Dune star, 30, sparked controversy earlier this year by insisting the art forms are being kept “alive” despite dwindling interest but now the head of the Royal Ballet and Opera (RBO) Alex Beard has revealed the actor’s remarks actually led to a surge in sales — especially among young people.
Alex told The Times newspaper: “I thought it important that we didn’t issue a kind of hoity-toity response to Chalamet.
“We simply said ‘Take a look at what we’re doing, mate’ — for instance, the fact that the largest portion of our audience by age is 20 to 30-year-olds.
“And you know what? Our post got two-and-a-half million engagements and half a million shares, just on Instagram. And our ticket sales got an immediate boost. So cheers, Timmy!”
Chalamet made the comments in a conversation with fellow actor Matthew McConaughey for Variety, saying: “I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera where it’s like, ‘Hey! Keep this thing alive, even though no one cares about this anymore.’
“All respect to the ballet and opera people out there … I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I’m taking shots for no reason.”
The comments prompted Oscars host Conan O’Brien to poke fun at the actor during his opening monologue at the Academy Awards last month, saying: “Security is very tight tonight. There’s concerns about attacks from the ballet and opera communities. They’re just mad you left out jazz.”
Legendary tenor Andrea Bocelli also invited Timothee to one of his concerts to help him understand the appeal of opera.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Bocelli, 67, said: “I am convinced that a sensitive performer like Timothee, who understands the power of emotions, may one day discover that opera and dance draw from that very same source.
“Should he ever be curious, I would be happy to welcome him as a guest at one of my concerts.
“Sometimes it only takes a few minutes of hearing this music live to understand why, after centuries, it continues to be loved all over the world.”
The singer praised the way both art forms “answer a deep need for beauty, truth and emotion”, as well as the ability to evolve and move between generations.
He added: “I believe we often tend to keep our distance from what we have not yet truly encountered. “Opera and ballet are art forms that have crossed centuries and continue to speak to the human heart, because they answer a deep need for beauty, truth and emotion.
“They are not arts of the past, but living languages that can still move us, make us reflect, and bring different generations together.”
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