Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, the Emmy-winning composer for HBO's "White Lotus," will not return for Season 4. This decision stems from creative differences with show creator Mike White, which began during Season 1 and involved disagreements over musical style and direction.
Tapia de Veer described tense conversations with producers, characterizing the creative process as similar to a dysfunctional rock band. He expressed frustration with repeated requests for more upbeat and less experimental music than he envisioned.
While Tapia de Veer is pleased with the Season 3 theme, he reveals that a longer, more developed version was intended, which he subsequently posted on his YouTube channel.
Representatives for HBO declined to comment on the matter.
Cristóbal Tapia de Veer did not have an entirely pleasant stay at “The White Lotus.”
Mr. Tapia de Veer, a 51-year-old composer who was born in Chile, joined a video call on Monday from his home in the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec, a gong the size of a beach ball visible over his right shoulder. We had planned to discuss his score for Season 3 of the HBO show — specifically, its reworked main title theme, which ignited a minor fury among fans when the season premiered in February.
The conversation went in a very different direction. Mr. Tapia de Veer, who has won three Emmy Awards for his work on “The White Lotus,” said he would not be returning for the show’s fourth season.
He described creative disagreements with the show’s creator and director, Mike White, that began during Season 1. Conversations with producers could be “hysterical,” Mr. Tapia de Veer said, and the show’s creative team repeatedly requested music that was more upbeat and less experimental than the work Mr. Tapia de Veer wanted to produce. (Representatives for HBO declined to comment for this article.)
“I feel like this was, you know, a rock ’n’ roll band story,” Mr. Tapia de Veer said. “I was like, OK, this is like a rock band I’ve been in before where the guitar player doesn’t understand the singer at all.”
And about that eerie Season 3 theme? Mr. Tapia de Veer loves it, but had hoped the season would include a longer version that builds into the more recognizable melody from the Season 1 and Season 2. Frustrated by its absence, he posted the “uncut ending” to his YouTube channel. (You can listen to it below.)
In the following conversation, which has been edited and condensed, Mr. Tapia de Veer reflected on his tenure with the show.
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