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Jean Yves Thibaudet brings a lifelong passion for opera to his new CD of irresistible operatic melodies: Aria - Opera Without Words, an album that combines the intimacy of the piano recital with the drama and romance of the opera house. Following the huge success of his recording of the complete solo piano music of Erik Satie, this new album is a very personal collection of timeless classics and new transcriptions - including several by Thibaudet himself. Aria - Opera Without Words includes arrangements of many of the best-loved arias of opera including Puccini's "Vissi d'arte" from Tosca and "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi, and the sparkling "Jewel Song" from Gounod`s Faust. Thibaudet even provides a thrilling portrait of Wagner's mighty "Ride of the Valkyries." These performances are not just arrangements of popular classics, they are also piano works in their own right.