Cate Blanchett to Play Orchestral Music Director in Upcoming Film

The Australian actress will play the fictional Lydia Tár, the first woman to be invited as the chief conductor of a large German orchestra

The film, “TÁR,” will be directed by three-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker Todd Field, who also wrote the screenplay. This will be his first film after 15 years. 

The score will be written by Grammy award-winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir — the first female to receive an Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award for Best Score.

Part of the filming will be done with the Dresden Philharmonic in the Kulturpalast concert hall. Around 93 musicians from the orchestra will feature in the film. 

Filming has been confirmed at two performances of the Dresden Philharmonic, to be held on September 18 and 19, 2021, for which tickets are still available. 

The philharmonic informed ticket buyers that during the concert, film and audio recordings will be taking place for “TÁR,” but no close-ups will be taken of the audience.

The concert program will involve Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and will be performed under the direction of Russian conductor Stanislav Kochanovsky. Several tents and trucks will be set up around the Kulturpalast for the 120 film crew members.

Joining Cate Blanchett in the cast are Nina Hoss and Noémie Merlant. According to a casting call notice: “The intellectual drama tells the story of world-renowned musician Lydia Tár (Blanchett), who is just days away from recording the symphony that will take her to the very heights of her already formidable career.”

“TÁR” will be released with Focus Features and Universal Pictures International in collaboration with X Films International.

Filming begins in Berlin this month with the film’s release set for 2022.