“Chicago Cares A LOT About Ballet” — How Timothée Chalamet’s Have Been Recieved In Chicago
Timothée Chalamet certainly didn't do himself any favors when he made his comments about ballet and opera. Chicago certainly didn't appreciate it either.
When Timothée Chalamet suggested that ballet and opera might be losing their relevance, he probably didn’t expect a clapback from Chicago.
The Joffrey’s “Relentless” Response
The Joffrey Ballet didn’t need a monologue to make their point. Instead, they released a reel of rehearsals at their State Street studios. Captioned “Luckily for us, Chicago cares A LOT about ballet and opera. The performing arts stick together”. The post was a reminder that artistic relevance is forged through physical discipline, not just box office receipts.
The Lyric Opera of Chicago took a more direct jab. The Lyric shared footage of a standing ovation so thunderous it rivaled a Chicago Bears touchdown. Music Director Enrique Mazzola also stepped into the fray, calling the actor’s dismissiveness a breach of the “creative code”.
Still craving the classics?
Ballet of Lights in Chicago reimagines fairy tales with fibre-optic costumes and, combining modern technology with a classic form of dance, it’s still very much relevant.
Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in a Sparkling Show
Candlelight concerts in Chicago bring classical music to the masses. There’s nothing stuffy about it. In fact, it’s incredibly romantic, with string quartets playing tributes to classical musicians, surrounded by thousands of candles.
Local arts advocates turned the snub into a marketing win, circulating rumors of “14-cent” rush tickets a cheeky nod to Chalamet’s math claim that he “just lost 14 cents in viewership”. Ultimately, Chicago’s message was clear: in the Second City, the arts aren’t a relic of the past; they’re a living, breathing, and incredibly loud part of the future, and we all know it.
