“I don’t want to work in ballet or opera, where people say, ‘Keep this thing alive that nobody cares about anymore.'”
So said Timothée Chalamet in his latest interview with Matthew McConaughey. A statement that did not go unnoticed and that musicians, dancers, and theaters certainly did not appreciate.
In Milan, La Scala responded to the award-winning American actor with a reel showing a curtain closing on an audience in rapturous applause. At the beginning of the video, the phrase “Nobody cares about ballet or opera” appears superimposed on a black background. In the caption, the theater responds to the actor: “Nobody cares? Some people care, “ alluding to the applause in the video, and invites him to come and visit, perhaps to discover that he, too, cares about this ancient tradition.
History of ballet and opera in Milan
It is not surprising that La Scala took this criticism of ballet and opera so seriously. The art of ballet in Milan began with the inauguration of La Scala in 1778. Although the first traces date back to the Renaissance courts of the Sforza family, the real professional nucleus was formed between 1779 and 1789 thanks to the choreographer Gasparo Angiolini.
Ballet and opera developed in parallel in the prestigious Milanese theater. From 1812, La Scala became the temple of Italian melodrama with Rossini, Verdi, and Puccini, hosting world premieres that left their mark on world music. Today, it remains the absolute center of these arts in Milan, where internationally renowned musicians and dancers perform breathtaking shows every season.
Unmissable shows in the city if, on the other hand, you still care about ballet and opera
Want to rediscover your love for ballet and opera? Milan is full of unmissable events where you can admire the skills of the most promising contemporary talents. Among these, Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice in Wonderland at La Scala (May 21-30, 2026) stands out, while for a less traditional but still faithful to the classical essence, the sparkling Ballet of Lights returns to the Teatro Leonardo Da Vinci in April, with dancers in luminous tutus narrating Sleeping Beauty one pirouette at a time.
Finally, for die-hard fans, from May 21 to 24, 2026, the Teatro Arcimboldi welcomes Bolle and Friends, the famous gala created and performed by Roberto Bolle—étoile of La Scala—with international stars of classical and contemporary ballet.