Mathis der Maler, Paul Hindemith‘s principal stage work, was first presented to the public as a 3-movement symphony derived from the score for the opera. That was in March 1934 in Berlin; it was well received. A few months later, Hindemith was attacked in the National-Socialist press which prompted the renowned conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler to spring to his defense in a newspaper article known as The Hindemith Case. The opera itself wasn‘t premiered until May 1938, in Zurich, where Hindemith made his base before moving on to the United States. The historical figure of Mathis had found his political engagement in the Peasants‘ War when his calling to paint solely for the glory of God conflicted with the religious expectations of the Reformation. Hindemith similarly found himself torn between his refusal to engage in Nazi propaganda, his urge to follow his inner voice, and the demand that he position himself against the regime. This highly acclaimed 2012 performance from the Theater an der Wien, featuring opera star Wolfgang Koch in the title role, is now finally available as a CD release.
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