Tár’s gender-balanced profession is a utopian fantasy. In the real world, conducting has a gender problem

The Bafta-winning film has helped increase visibility of women in conducting, but I long for the day when my presence on the podium won't be remarked on

I've lost track of the number of times I've been asked my thoughts on the film Tar these last few weeks. It seems as if everyone wants to know what it's really like to be a woman in conducting, and how I feel about the abusive fictional character causing a stir on cinema screens across the globe.

Lydia Tar lives in a world that closely resembles present-day reality, complete with references to a recent pandemic. But one notable difference is apparent: in Tar's world, female conductors have well and truly smashed the glass ceiling, and conducting seems to be a gender-balanced profession. In the film's opening scenes, Tar talks about how the challenges once faced by women are in the past, and suggests that her fellowship programme for female conductors should be opened up to men as it no longer feels necessary to distinguish between genders.