Search - Jean-Yves / Kerber, Randy Thibaudet, Percy Grainger, Giacomo Puccini :: Aria: Opera without Words

Jean Yves Thibaudet plays opera arias on the piano

Amy | 09/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"French piano virtuoso Jean Yves Thibaudet brings his lifelong passion for opera to his new album of irresistible operatic melodies called Aria Opera Without Words. This cd is a collection of opera's most enduring music in piano arrangements from touching simplicity to thrilling virtuosity. Jean Yves Thibaudet who is often called the Poet of the piano again brings his uniquely accessible artistry to the widest classical audience with an album that combines the intimacy of the piano recital with the drama and romance of the opera house. The album showcases the full palette of sound colors he produces when he plays composers like Debussy and Ravel for which he is internationally renowned. These performances are not just arrangements of popular classics, they are also piano works in their own right. Bellini's Casta Diva, in which the heroine of his opera Norma sings to the moon goddess, becomes a Romantic nocturne which sounds like it could have been composed by Chopin. The album also includes arrangements of many of the best loved arias of opera including Puccini's Vissi darte from Tosca and O mio babbino caro and the sparkling jewel song from Gounod's Faust. For this recording Jean Yves Thibaudet explored both established transcriptions and new arrangements. The Puccini arias are performed in versions by the American pianist Yvar Mikashoff who Jean Yves Thibaudet met before his death in 1993. As a tribute a large part of the album is devoted to Mikashoff's four part sonata fantasy which paints a portrait of Puccini's tragic heroine Madama Butterfly. Two of the most evocative tracks have been arranged by Jean Yves Thibaudet himself working with acclaimed composer Randy Kerber best known for his film score The Color Purple. Thibaudet's understanding of French style lies at the heart of his arrangement of music from Saint Saens Samson et Dalila and the setting of Marietta's Lied from Korngold's Die Tote Stadt showcases the fluid, vocal quality of his playing. A highlight of the disc is Thibaudet's piano version of the most spectacular moment in all opera The Ride of the Walkyries from the second opera in Wagner's mighty Ring Cycle. To music that everyone will recognize, the Walkyries warrior daughters of Wotan, King of the Gods ride through the sky on winged horses. Music which Wagner wrote for massive orchestral forces loses none of it's power in Thibaudet's gloriously virtuosic performance. This is an amazing cd and I think you will enjoy it whether you are an opera fan or not. Thibaudet is an amazing pianist and if you have any of his other cd's you should definitely add this one to your collection.

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Opera lover

Carole Berglie | Long Island & Florida | 03/28/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I enjoy listening to this CD mainly because I try to play these on the piano and this nonorchestral version emphasizes the melody better. The arrangements approach lounge music, but overall very nicely done. Not really for the avid opera lover, although I am--just have a different purpose for buying this."