Being a female conductor means being an exception, even today. When a woman stands on the podium she is, in most cases, somehow "the first": the first to lead a world-class orchestra, the first to conduct the "Last Night of the Proms" in London, the first to win the German Conductor Prize. For decades, this sensational character has been tradition. At the same time it seems that the world of the maestro is now in a state of upheaval. The film MAESTRAS follows several female conductors like Marin Alsop, Anu Tali, Joana Mallwitz and Barbara Hannigan in order to take a closer look at this phenomenon. At the same time, the life of the former conductor Sylvia Caduff is followed. The Swiss woman was the first female assistant to Leonard Bernstein and directed the Berlin Philharmonic in 1978 when she filled in for Herbert von Karajan. From today's point of view, she made incredible strides in history - not only as a female conductor, but as a conductor at all. How did this relatively new profession develop itself into such a notorious 'mythos'? What roles do 'power' and 'masculinity' play? And do they only have to do with traditional societal norms?

Maestras: The Long Journey of Women to the Podium

Barbara Hannigan is a renowned soprano and exceptionally talented artist and musician from Canada, who recently has begun an international career as conductor. Making its North American premiere, Taking Risks shows Hannigan preparing to conduct her first opera, Stravinsky’s masterpiece The Rake’s Progress. From auditions to opening night, we follow the journey of a dedicated, passionate, and perceptive woman, taking a behind-the-scenes look at her creative process, with many moments of excitement and magic.