Paul Hindemith Mathis der Maler (Matthias the Painter) opera to a libretto by the composer. Directed 2012 by Keith Warner at the Theater an der Wien. Stars Wolfgang Koch (Mathis), Kurt Streit (Albrecht von Brandenburg), Franz Grundheber (Riedinger), Manuela Uhl (Ursula), Raymond Very (Hans Schwalb), Katerina Tretyakova (Regina), Martin Snell (Lorenz von Pommersfelden), Charles Reid (Wolfgang Capito), Oliver Ringelhahn (Sylverster von Schaumberg), Ben Connor (Truchseß von Waldburg), Magdalena Anna Hofmann (Countess Helfenstein), Andrew Owens (Helfenstein’s Piper), and Florian Emberger (Count Helfenstein). Bertrand de Billy conducts the Wiener Symphoniker and the Slovak Philharmonic Choir (Chorus Mistress Blanka Juhaňáková). Set design by Johan Engels; costume design by Emma Ryott; lighting design by Mark Jonathan. Directed for TV by Peter Landsmann and Paul Landsmann. Sung in German. Released 2021, disc has PCM stereo sound. Grade: NA
This title only has stereo sound. But I don’t exclude it. The original show and the Blu-ray have gotten good reviews. This is the only video recording devoted 100% to Hindemith. Although he is now neglected as composer, Hindemith was an important intellectual who resisted the Nazis in Germany.
This opera was inspired by the Isenheim Alter of Mathis Grünewald (1470-1528). So let’s see some images of that famous artwork published by the Kahn Academy. First, we see the alter as it is usually displayed:
But this is only the 1st of 3 views of the alter! So let’s see next a Vimeo clip, also from the Khan Academy, showing how the alter is constructed:
The alter was a medieval multi-media project! Now let’s see each view more closely:
View 1
View 2
View 3
Now on to our review of Mathis der Maler . The opera is based on events in the wars following the Reformation that led to Grünewald’s creation of the altarpiece at Isenheim. Horrified at the violence between the Protestant and Catholic forces, the painter withdrew to focus on his art, which would speak to all men in all ages. Hindemith finished this opera in Germany in 1935. Because the work puts art above politics, Hitler suppressed it.
Colin Davis published an enthusiastic review of subject video in www.britishtheatreguide.info stating that this production “is musically accessible, rich in invention, and carries a lofty message about the importance of artistic endeavor.” (Can’t tell if Colin saw the DVD or the Blu-ray.) Print critics who saw this live in 2012 praised all the star singers, the chorus, and the orchestra. Mark Berry, writing for boulezian.blogspot.com called the live show a “triumph for the Theater an der Wien.” Finally, Joe Cadagin writes a long review in the January 2022 Opera News at pages 48-49. He warns this is a “very long three hour pilgrimage” that can still be “spiritually transformative.” He also praises the singing and acting of the cast, especially Koch as Mathis and Uhl as Ursula.
Here’s an informative official trailer for the Blu-ray:
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