Tár | Questions and Answers

In this section of our Colossus Movie Guide for Tár, we answer questions you have about the movie. If you’re curious about plot explanations, meanings, themes, lessons, motifs, symbols, or just confused by something, ask and we’ll do our best to answer.

Cast

• Lydia Tár/Linda Tarr – Cate Blanchett
• Sharon Goodnow – Nina Hoss
• Francesca Lentini – Noémie Merlant
• Eliot Kaplan – Mark Strong
• Olga Metkina – Sophie Kauer
• Andris Davis – Julian Glover
• Sebastian Brix – Allan Corduner
• Adam Gopnik – Adam Gopnik
• Written by – Todd Field
• Directed by – Todd Field

Tár | Questions and Answers

What does Tár say about “feminism”?

Feminism has a major focus in Tár. This is introduced during Lydia’s conversation with Adam Gopnik, she talks about gender bias in classical music but says she has nothing to complain about. It’s a fascinating moment because Lydia pays respect to female conductors who came before her and cites specific names and history and sounds very impressive. But tucked in this speech is an outright dismissal of gender bias. She’s essentially saying, “It existed before. But not now.” A stance that’s made more explicit when she says times have changed then references a “Pauline-conversion”. Paul the Apostle had been a non-Christian who loathed Christians. But an encounter on the road to Damascus with God caused Paul to convert to Christianity. He transitions from sinner to an all-in believer. To compare the current state of gender bias in classical music to that is an intense and unrealistic idealization. 

While a lot of progress has been made against gender bias, the idea that the classical music industry has had this miraculous purification and bias is a bygone thing—that’s crazy. The issue is that Lydia herself is biased because she’s extremely guilty of favoring young women. Look what happened with Krista. Lydia chose her. Elevated her. Then annihilated Krista’s career after ending their relationship. Then Olga comes around and Lydia begins the same routine. First, it’s a casual lunch. Then arranging things so that Olga gets a solo. Then a trip to New York City. Lydia wants to dismiss gender bias because she’s guilty of applying gender biases. It’s the same reason she shames Max for caring about Bach’s personal transgressions. By defending Bach, Lydia’s defending herself. 

In the conversation with Olga at their first lunch, Lydia tries to impress Olga by saying Beethoven and Napoleon ate in the restaurant.  To which Olga responds, “Yes, and Clara Zetkin.” Lydia’s response? “Who’s that? It’s a musician?” “No. She helped found Social Democratic women’s movement in Germany…” It’s not a coincidence that Lydia names historically important men and Olga a woman. And it’s not a coincidence Lydia hasn’t heard of Clara Zetkin. It shows how much more progressive and truly feminist Olga, a representative of the youth, is over Lydia, a representative of the old guard. This dovetails with Tár’s overall message about shifting power dynamics between previous generations and the next. 

What does the ending of Tár mean?

We have our ending explanation here. But, in short, the end of Tár captures the idea of the cultural shift that’s happening from one generation to the next. Lydia has to become part of the New World or be left behind entirely. And the New World is one that’s far more progressive than anything Lydia has known. 

Was Lydia Tár a real conductor? Is she based on a real person?

Absolutely not. But, she is representative of many of the established names in entertainment who abused their power and suffered very little consequences for it until the recent Me Too movement. Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K., Kevin Spacey, etc. 

Who is Krista Taylor?

Krista was a young, promising conductor who was rising in the industry. At some point, Lydia decided to pursue Krista and the two began a relationship under the guise of mentoring. At some point, around the beginning of the film, Lydia became upset with Krista and cut off all contact. Not only did Lydia cut off contact, she emailed over a dozen orchestras and told them not to hire Krista. Krista was crushed by the sudden ghosting by Lydia and the annihilation of her career. 

Why did Lydia break up with Krista?

The details aren’t super apparent. All Lydia cites was Krista making demands and editing Lydia’s Wikipedia page. We don’t know what the demands were. 

Who is singing during the opening credits?

At one point, Francesca mentions a trip she, Krista, and Lydia took to Ucayali (a region in Peru). It’s likely the opening credits are a reference to this trip. Lydia’s there, directing a singer, Elisa Vargas Fernandez, of the Shipibo-Conibo people, a group we know she’s studied and worked closely with. We hear the sounds of nature and people that give the sense of being in a village. On the soundtrack the song is called “Cura Mente”. It translates to “cure mind”. 

That would explain the very first scene being Lydia asleep on a plane. It’s them heading to Peru. The credits is the recording in Peru. Then we jump ahead to early November and the New Yorker talk. At this point, Lydia’s already broken up with Krista and ruined Krista’s career. 

What was the book Krista gave Lydia?

The book is Challenge by Vita Sackville-West. In an article for Collider, Martin Millman explains: The story was inspired by Vita Sackville-West’s tumultuous love affair with Violet Trefusis. The dedication page in Romany dialect translates: “This book is yours, my witch. Read it and you will find your tormented soul, changed and free,” followed by more kené designs drawn by Krista. 

The kené design translates to “at risk”, a warning that Krista soon follows through on. This sets up the Tell-Tale Heart aspect of Krista haunting Lydia. 

Is Tár a scary movie or a horror movie?

Kind of? It’s psychological horror, in a way, as there’s a very subjective ghost story going on where Lydia is “literally” haunted by Krista’s ghost. Twice, Krista’s ghost appears on screen. This doesn’t imply a real ghost so much as suggests there’s a subjectivity to the film and the ghost is an externalization of Lydia’s tormented psyche. 

If Hereditary was a horror movie with the minimalism turned up to 7, then Tár is a horror movie with the minimalism knocked to 11. It’s subtle but it’s there. Especially since the film is essentially just a high brow retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart. 

What questions do you have?

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