Does anyone still care about opera and ballet? Leonardo DiCaprio made a quiet cultural stop in Prague during the filming of his latest movie, visiting the historic Estates Theatre, a venue closely associated with Mozart’s landmark opera Don Giovanni and the Oscar-winning film Amadeus, just days before this year’s Academy Awards.
The visit comes at a pivotal moment in Hollywood’s awards season: DiCaprio is competing for Best Actor at this weekend’s Oscars for his role in One Battle After Another against Timothée Chalamet (nominated for Marty Supreme), who has recently faced heavy criticism for remarks suggesting that “no one cares” about opera and ballet anymore.
While the controversy surrounding Chalamet erupted in the final stretch of the awards race, DiCaprio’s appearance at one of the world’s most famous opera stages draws a striking contrast between the two nominees’ recent interactions with the classical arts.
DiCaprio follows Mozart and Amadeus
According to Aktuálně.cz, DiCaprio visited Prague’s Estates Theatre during a break from filming the new Martin Scorsese drama What Happens at Night, currently shooting in the Czech Republic.
The 18th-century theatre, located in Prague’s Old Town, holds a unique place in music history. In 1787, it hosted the world premiere of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni, one of the most famous works in the classical repertoire. The venue remains one of the few historic theatres still standing that is directly linked to Mozart’s career.
The theatre also served as a major filming location for Amadeus, Miloš Forman’s 1984 historical drama about Mozart and his rival Antonio Salieri. The film became a landmark in international cinema, winning eight Academy Awards including best picture and best director.
Because of that connection, the theatre has become a destination for film fans as well as classical music enthusiasts. Thousands of visitors each year come to see the space where some of Amadeus’ most memorable scenes were filmed, including the dramatized premiere of Don Giovanni.
“The National Theatre has long been a popular place for foreign visitors, including artists, whether they come to the Czech Republic for work or private purposes,” National Theatre spokesperson Tomáš Staněk told Aktuálně in regards to DiCaprio’s visit.
“The Estates Theatre is not only an important cultural symbol, but for tourists it is primarily a place associated with the personality of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whom they also know thanks to Miloš Forman‘s famous film Amadeus.”
DiCaprio’s visit was reportedly motivated by his admiration for Forman’s film. The actor has long been known as a cinephile with an interest in film history, and the stop appears to have been a deliberate detour rather than a routine tourist outing.
His current stay in the Prague is tied to production on What Happens at Night. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Peter Cameron and follows an American couple who travel to a snowbound European city to adopt a child, only to encounter a series of unsettling characters at their hotel.
The cast includes Jennifer Lawrence, Mads Mikkelsen, Jared Harris, and Patricia Clarkson. Several scenes have recently been filmed at Chateau Ratboř near Kolín, east of Prague, with filming moving to the town of Úštěk in northern Bohemia this weekend.
Chalamet’s opera remarks spark backlash before Oscars
DiCaprio’s visit to one of the world’s most historic opera venues comes as fellow Best Actor nominee Chalamet faces criticism over comments he made during a February town hall event hosted by Variety and CNN.
During the discussion with actor Matthew McConaughey, Chalamet reflected on the challenges facing movie theaters and entertainment today. The conversation eventually shifted to other art forms, prompting the actor to make an offhand remark about opera and ballet.
“I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera… things where it’s like, ‘Hey, keep this thing alive,’ even though it’s like, no one cares about this anymore,” Chalamet said during the event, before quickly adding that he meant “all respect” to those working in the fields.
The comments circulated widely online weeks later and drew criticism from artists, institutions and public figures within the classical arts world.
Opera companies and performing arts groups responded publicly, some humorously. The Seattle Opera offered discounted tickets using the promotional code “TIMOTHEE,” while the Metropolitan Opera posted a social media video celebrating its backstage staff in apparent response to the remarks.
Other reactions were more direct. Musicians, dancers and educators criticized the suggestion that audiences no longer care about centuries-old art forms that remain central to cultural life around the world.
Even Chalamet’s alma mater, New York’s LaGuardia High School—known for its performing arts programs—issued a statement emphasizing that the school does not “rank art forms.”
The controversy has fueled speculation about whether the comments could influence the outcome of the best actor race. However, most industry observers say the timing makes that unlikely: voting for the Academy Awards closed on March 5, before the backlash reached its peak.
This year’s Academy Awards will be broadcast from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, March 15 at 4:00 p.m. L.A. time (1:00 a.m. on Monday morning, Prague time). Chalamet and DiCaprio are competing for Best Actor against Michael B. Jordan (Sinners), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent).
Lead photo: Leonardo DiCaprio in Cannes, 2013 courtesy DepositPhotos.com; interior of Prague’s Estates Theatre courtesy Wikimedia / © Jorge Royan. Montage: The Prague Reporter
