Cate Blanchett is taking the world of orchestral performance by storm in the first teaser for Todd Field’s TÁR. The feature will see the actress take on the role of the fictional Lydia Tár, a genius composer and conductor who holds the title of being the first female chief conductor of a major German orchestra. The musical film will mark the return of Field, who has taken a 15-year hiatus from standing behind the camera and lending his eye to productions since 2007’s Little Children.

The teaser sets the stage for the drama, with the opening shot centered closely on Blanchett’s face as she exhales a large puff of smoke. Over the tight shot, we hear an male voice speaking on the global pandemic and forces that are seeking to tear us down from both the inside and outside. As he speaks, he draws a comparison between the pandemic and other “plagues” that have the ability to “destroy us,” giving us the thought that the film will be centered around the inner demons of the renowned composer. As the teaser comes to a head, the music swells, and we see Blanchett standing behind the director’s stand and taking charge of her orchestra. As she directs the musicians, the actress pours herself into the part, getting carried away and lost in the music.

Along with Blanchett, the film will also star Nina Hoss, Noémie Merlant, Sophie Kauer, Julian Glover, Mark Strong, and Allan Corduner. Field also wrote and produced the film, the latter of which he did alongside Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert. If you’re going to pen a piece about one of the world’s greatest fictional composers, you’ll need to make sure the music suits. For that, Field invested in the help of Hildur Guðnadóttir, who became the first woman to nab the trio of an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA for her musical work on Joker. It’s the perfect cherry on top that Field brought in a female composer to pen the music that will be heard in Tár.

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Image via Focus Features

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The idea behind the movie is a terrific one, as imagining a universe filled with female composers and orchestral directors is exciting and new — which just goes to show how saturated the profession is with male talent. And we wouldn’t expect anything less from Field’s big return to the world of filmmaking. The director last left us with the romantic psychological drama, Little Children, which brought in three Oscar nominations. Judging by his psychological twists in Little Children and his ability to stack the drama as displayed in 2001’s In the Bedroom, we’re expecting to see a combination of both storytelling devices shine in TÁR.

TÁRwill be released in theaters on October 7. You can check out the teaser below.