Royal Ballet and Opera chief executive Alex Beard says Timothée Chalamet’s recent dismissal of opera and ballet as art forms “no one cares” about has turned into an unexpected marketing win for the Covent Garden institution.
In an interview with The Times, Beard said he was not just relaxed about the Hollywood star’s comments but almost ecstatic about how they played out publicly. Rather than issuing what he described as a lofty or defensive reply, the RBO opted for a more casual rebuttal – essentially inviting Chalamet to take a closer look at what the company is actually doing.
Part of that pitch, Beard told The Times, is the makeup of the RBO’s current audience: 20-to-30-year-olds now represent the largest age segment, a data point that directly undercuts the idea of opera and ballet as art forms in cultural retreat. According to Beard, the company’s response post drew roughly 2.5 million engagements and half a million shares on Instagram, with a corresponding lift in ticket sales. “So cheers, Timmy!” he told the paper.
The remarks came as Beard announced the RBO’s 2026-27 season, his 14th at the helm of the company. Highlights include the final installment of Barrie Kosky’s Ring cycle with Götterdämmerung, a new production of Wagner’s Parsifal by Kazakh-born director Evgeny Titov, Netia Jones directing Così fan tutte, and the Royal Opera’s first-ever staging of Rameau’s Les Boréades.
The Royal Ballet’s season will mark Wayne McGregor’s 20th year as resident choreographer, alongside classics from Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan.
