Alfie Boe has criticised Timothée Chalamet after the actor suggested “no one cares” about opera anymore. The acclaimed tenor, 52, called the remark a “shocking statement” and insisted audiences still care deeply about the genre.
“Oh wow. I didn't read that and I didn't hear that, but that's quite a statement,” Boe told The Standard. “That's quite a shocking statement. But to say nobody cares about opera is a bit drastic. I don't think that's true. There's a lot of people who care about opera. My audience love it when I sing opera.” He joked that he might even have to “have a word” with Chalamet.
The Dune star sparked debate after making the comment during a filmed discussion with fellow actor Matthew McConaughey for Variety, where the pair were discussing shrinking attention spans in cinema. “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,’” he said.
Boe argued that classical music remains relevant. “You present classical music to anybody out there and they'd appreciate it in some way, so you can't say that nobody cares about it,” he said. “I think music in general — we care about melody, we care about rhythm and structure — and opera has some of the greatest melodies and structures there are.” He also suggested people discovering opera for the first time might be surprised by its emotional impact.
Boe is not alone in pushing back. Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg criticised Chalamet on The View, warning the actor to “be careful” about dismissing other art forms. Rapper Doja Cat also weighed in on the debate in a now-deleted TikTok video, pointing out that opera and ballet have existed for centuries and still draw devoted audiences. Meanwhile, Boe’s longtime collaborator Michael Ball defended both opera and ballet, saying the art forms are deeply rooted in human expression.
The controversy comes just days before Chalamet heads to the Oscars this weekend, where he is nominated for best actor for his role in Marty Supreme. Boe was speaking ahead of the release of his new single Face Myself on March 18, the title track of his upcoming album, which arrives on April 10. The album will be supported by a 35-date UK tour this spring, including a night at London’s Royal Albert Hall on May 26.
