The Opera House Scene

[Freya]

First of all, to refresh your memories, I've searched for the "lyrics" of the scene, and here they are:

SPOILER!!:

Narrator:
The West and the East were waging war...
Draco, the West's great hero, thinks of his love, Maria.
Is she safe? Is she waiting...?

Draco:
Oh Maria!
Oh Maria!
How I long to be with you!

Narrator:
The forces of the West fell, and Maria's castle was taken.
Prince Ralse, of the East, took her hand by force.
But she never stopped yearning for Draco...

. . .

Maria:
Oh my hero, so far away now.
Will I ever see your smile?
Love goes away, like night into day.
It's just a fading dream.

I'm the darkness, you're the stars.
Our love is brighter than the sun.
For eternity, for me there can be,
Only you, my chosen one...

Must I forget you? Our solemn promise?
Will autumn take the place of spring?
What shall I do? I'm lost without you.
Speak to me once more!

Vision of Draco:
Come, Maria. Follow my lead.

[Maria dances with the vision of Draco for a few turns.]

Vision of Draco:
Ha ha ha ha......

[The vision fades, leaving behind a (real) bouquet of flowers. Maria takes the bouquet and walks up to the balcony, where she tosses the flowers into the night sky.]

Maria:
We must part now, my life goes on.
But my heart won't give you up.
Ere I walk away, let me hear you say
I meant as much to you....

So gently, you touched my heart.
I will be forever yours.
Come what may, I won't age a day,
I'll wait for you, always...

[A Minister from the former Western country approaches Maria.]

Minister:
Prince Ralse is looking for a dance partner.
Leave the past behind.
Our kingdom is adopting the spirit of the East.

[Maria follows the Minister down off the balcony and inside.]

. . .

[Maria is dancing with Ralse amid other couples. Suddenly, a Messenger rushes in.]

Messenger:
The survivors of the West attack!

Ralse:
Impossible!

Soldiers:
Attack!!

[A battle ensues on the dance floor.]

Voice:
Wait!!

[Draco rides out into the fray.]

Draco:
Maria!

Maria:
Draco, I've waited so long.
I knew you'd come.

Ralse:
Maria will finally have to become my queen!

Draco:
For the rest of my life, I'll keep you near...

Ralse:
It's a duel!
(Source: fflyrics.com)

Then of course a few question:
- Did you like the scene?
- Where you touched by it?
- What do you think about all the other theater scenes that followed in the later FFs?


I loved the scene... I really loved it. It was the best moment in a videogame EVER for me. It's not only the great song that touches your heart immediately, it's also the idea of having to play an opera scene in a game like Final Fantasy. .-. Also, the story is very sad, it kinda reminded me of Romeo et Juliette. (I saw that opera, too, when I was 16 xD) Being part of something like that, there is no way you weren't touched by it. .,.
The only thing I didn't like about it was that you had to learn the script and you could fail. xD" I failed one time because I didn't read the script, I didn't think that it was important to read because I thought: "Hey, you'll see it on stage in a few minutes, so why learn the script?" xD
Also, a bit weird perhaps, but I tried to sing it once in the game. xD" You know, you get the script on the screen, and you have the music in the background. So I tried to imagine how it is sung. But I failed. Again. XD" After that I asked someone I knew if she had the song and she gave me a very very good version of it. <3 That one I really love to listen to. x3

As for the other theater scenes... I saw the one in VII and the one in IX after VI. And they were... well, basically, IX had the same story, but it wasn't as great as VI. Firstly, it was not an opera (opera > theater xD"). Secondly, what did they do with the background music?! It wasn't touching at all, it was just... bad. Sorry that I have to say it like that, but the first time I saw it I nearly fell asleep. <.<" (That was because I hadn't slept for over 24 hours xD")
The one in VII was a bit funny, perhaps they didn't want a drama again. But I didn't like it either. xD" It was quite nice, but it didn't touch me in any way and I don't even really remember what it was about anymore. .-.

What about you? ^^

[T.G. Oskar]

Originally Posted by Freya

Also, a bit weird perhaps, but I tried to sing it once in the game. xD" You know, you get the script on the screen, and you have the music in the background. So I tried to imagine how it is sung. But I failed. Again. XD" After that I asked someone I knew if she had the song and she gave me a very very good version of it. <3 That one I really love to listen to. x3

Which version? There are several. Most of them are named "Aria di Mezzo Caratere". The Black Mages version is epic and spectacular. The only bad thing is that the lyrics are in Japanese, which sucks a bit when you realize that the last part of the mini-opera is missing. IIRC, the last part of the song is basically Maria saying her good-byes and speaking to the two heroes, before everybody bursts into song.

I honestly don't seem to recall the VII theatrical montage, but IX's "I Want to be your Canary" is more of a comedy of sorts. A bit of traditional comedy instead of a modern comedy, where everything seems a bit light-hearted and the female protagonist is meant to have her reward at the end. My only problem would be that it's a bit less personal, so to speak, than the FFVI opera.

[Dodie16]

Originally Posted by T.G. Oskar

I honestly don't seem to recall the VII theatrical montage.

I believe Freya is referring to Aeris and Cloud's date scene in the Gold Saucer. More specifically, the play that they participate in.

Anyway, about the opera. I have the English version on my iPod. I got it from the Distant Worlds c.d.

I love it very much, but I haven't played FFVI yet. I really want to, though.

[Zargabaath]

I did like the opera scene in FF VI and I was touched by it a little. Definitely better than plays in VII or IX. The only thing I liked about IX's play was one of the characters had my last name.

It may have been taken from Romeo and Juliet for they are similiar. I liked how you had to choose the lines kept you more involved in the game instead of breezing over the script.

[Freya]

Originally Posted by T.G. Oskar

Which version? There are several. Most of them are named "Aria di Mezzo Caratere". The Black Mages version is epic and spectacular. The only bad thing is that the lyrics are in Japanese, which sucks a bit when you realize that the last part of the mini-opera is missing. IIRC, the last part of the song is basically Maria saying her good-byes and speaking to the two heroes, before everybody bursts into song.

There are many versions of it? oo Oh, that I didn't know. I got a version sung by someone called Svetla Krasteva (hope I typed it right .-."). I heard that it was with other lyrics are that the lyrics aren't real lyrics (that it's just sung a weird way xD), but I like it. x3~

And yep, I was referring to the Gold Saucer date. Cloud had to play a knight who wants to rescue Aerith, the princess. The enemy of both was... a dragon, if I remember correctly. Quite a strange play. xD"

[Locke4God]

You know the scene was ok, but I didn't really think it was this big staple scene that I hear people try to sell it up as. It was just a scene between one character and a NPC you never see again. The only reason you were there was to get an item so you could move to the ghost city. It didn't impact the realtionships of any of the characters and really wasn't very important at all. Esspecially not stacked against Aeries dying, or Tidus disappearing. Even in the same game I thought the scenes where Tera goes Esper, where you save Shadow, where Kefka poisons the water and all those people die, or where Tera was first taken from the Esper world were much much more important scenes.

[Tokimadoushi]

I love Aria di Mezzo, to me it is one of the greatest FF songs. It is also a song you can put a lot of emotion and expression in when you sing it.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Locke4God

Even in the same game I thought the scenes where Tera goes Esper, where you save Shadow, where Kefka poisons the water and all those people die, or where Tera was first taken from the Esper world were much much more important scenes.

I totally agree with this, but at the same time, I think that the scene was just incredibly well done. I've actually been replaying VI lately and even after all of these newer FF's, this is still one of the most beautiful scenes. I think it works so well because reading the words seems to have more meaning than just hearing them. My only problem with the PS1 version is that they didn't put the scene into CG, except for Celes dropping the bouquet in the 'press start' CG.

Plus, the way the current FF's have been going, you're bound to get some Japanese pop star singing the English version, and it would just get shot to hell.

[Telegraph]

- Did you like the scene
Yuss. It was a nice scene. I don't know if it had much more meaning than "this is a cool scene for Celes, showing off her acting and sing chops." And it also gave her her theme music for the rest of the game. The scene where she jumps off the cliff resonates much more with me.

- Where you touched by it?
Maybe a little bit, but again, not as much as the other scene. It felt a little like being an actor and trying to remember your lines, so I liked that aspect.

- What do you think about all the other theater scenes that followed in the later FFs?
The Golden Saucer Date scene in FF7 was kinda humorous. The first time I played through, Cloud dated Tifa (I think because I liked Tifa better, and thus set them up.) I would like to see the date with Barret. I need to play through again and be a jerk to all the girls. As for the one from FF9... I don't really remember it. Anyhoo...

Wuv, Yer Mom