Chalamet thanked by Royal Ballet and Opera boss for boosting ticket sales

Chalamet thanked by Royal Ballet and Opera boss for boosting ticket sales

Royal Ballet and Opera director Alex Beard praised Hollywood star Timothée Chalamet for his unexpected impact on the London institution’s ticket sales after the actor’s remarks stirred debate. Beard, speaking to The Times, highlighted that Chalamet’s comment earlier this year—that “no-one cares” about ballet or opera anymore—generated a significant surge in public interest.

“I thought it important that we didn’t issue a kind of hoity-toity response to Chalamet,” Beard said. “We simply said ‘Take a look at what we’re doing, mate’—for instance, pointing out that the largest demographic of our audience falls within the 20 to 30 age range.”

The actor’s words sparked a mix of reactions. While some stage stars and opera houses criticized his dismissive tone, others saw it as a chance to draw attention. The Seattle Opera capitalized on the moment, launching a targeted campaign for an upcoming Carmen performance. They offered a discount to ticket buyers using the promo code “TIMOTHEE,” inviting Chalamet to join the promotion.

Chalamet’s remarks came during a discussion with Matthew McConaughey at the University of Texas in February, where he was reflecting on efforts to preserve cinema. “I don’t want to be working in ballet, or opera, or things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore,’” he said. “All respect to all the ballet and opera people out there,” he added, recognizing the potential misstep in his comments.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Times, Beard also explained the Royal Ballet and Opera’s recent pricing adjustments. “What we do is not full-on dynamic pricing,” he clarified. “Prices remain consistent during the priority-booking phase and the initial weeks of public sales. There’s a cap on how high top-tier tickets can go, and lower rates stay steady.” He argued that these changes help stabilize affordability for audiences.

Beard concluded with a lighthearted note, thanking Chalamet for the boost in visibility. “Our post got two-and-a-half million engagements and half a million shares, just on Instagram,” he said. “And our ticket sales saw an immediate increase. So cheers, Timmy!”