Whilst the words of a certain wannabe have left a sour taste in the mouths of many, the remarks of Timothee Chalamet have opened up a valuable conversation surrounding the state of opera today. Once a highly lauded art, commissioned by royalty in a bid to impress, recent years have seen it garner a reputation as being pretentious. How has it so quickly become a euphemism for snobbery?
Deriving from the Latin ‘opus’, meaning ‘a work’, the origins of opera are unsurprisingly in Italy, where it was initially used as a symbol of belonging to the uppermost social echelons. Its 400-year history has seen many eras, namely Baroque, Classical, and Romantic, all characterised by specific plot tropes and musical devices. Whilst Italian opera was, and still remains, the most prevalent, the 18th century saw the release of operas in English, German, and Spanish, among other languages, further increasing its global appeal, and more importantly, moving its demand away from nobility as it began to transition into the world of public theatre. As a result of developments in sound technology and music recording, opera has since been distributed globally, making it more available than ever before.
Despite the digital distribution of opera, its live form has seen tickets surge above £400, which somewhat justifies the elitism-centred flack it receives. Whilst performances can vary in elements such as production quality and length, such a price robustly builds an economic barrier to entry for your run-of-the-mill individual. However, its inaccessibility is not only financial, but structural too. In a space historically reserved for the one per cent, making everyone feel comfortable has not been a priority, which only reinforces an exclusive environment, preventing most from attending. In essence, cultural hurdles make people feel unwelcome in opera, rendering it inaccessible in its cost, its audiences, and the languages of its performances. But, the public still craves these meaningful opportunities to watch live art, so why does opera push them out? Perhaps it ought to follow the likes of film and music, arts which seek to maximise appeal without discriminating against audience members.
Yet, it seems as though opera companies are struggling as much as audiences, having been forced into elitism by economics. The impacts of COVID-19 include rising production costs, decreased government funding, and a reduction in ticket sales by around 22%. Such a convoluted state of affairs has seen opera performers out of work, rising ticket prices, and even the Metropolitan Opera seeking cash from Saudi Arabia. Therefore, it cannot be shocking that public appeal for opera has plunged. Yet, in spite of opera’s affordability crisis, the genre’s snobby reputation certainly precedes 2019.
However, as a working-class kid who ended up going to the opera with my friends in sixth form, there is something to be said about the success of its outreach programmes. The Scottish Opera provides discounted tickets for under-26s, and the English National Opera offers free tickets to under-21s, but such schemes depend on how keen the youth are on opera to begin with. Beyond
introducing operatic education to younger children, much like plays, pantomimes, and films, such initiatives must be upheld and continued by affordable ticketing. And, unless these tickets are actually bought, opera will be dead before we know it. If not to witness a blend of theatre, storytelling, vocal power, and music, then at least go to the opera for a real reason to turn your nose up at Timothee Chalamet. If we are so fast to condemn the lack of culture in others, the virtue signalling ought to pause and allow room for not only appreciation, but experience.
“Timothee Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan – 2024 (41 of 65) – 54213944255” by Raph_PH is licensed under CC BY 2.0.