Is Draco and Maria a REAL Opera?! Pro Opera Singer Finds Out... (Final Fantasy VI OST)

[@foxmccloud7055]

While all this is going on, three men were up in the rafters trying to stop an octopus from dropping a five ton weight on Celes.

[@christianlevesque5239]

N'ghaaa! This is heavier than I thought! It'll take me 5 minutes to drop it!

[@NAzo.]

I recommend listening to an actually done Nobuo Uematsu opera song he did decades ago. The first one was on the album called Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale. The other is Final Fantasu 1987 - 1994 album. I recommend the remixed version which is the FF 1987 - 1994 album. It doesn't have the entire opera scene just the female part. The Track is called Aria di Mezzo Carattere. If you look under "Aria di Mezzo Carattere final fantasy 1987 - 1994" to listen to it. It's over 5 minutes.

[@FF2Guy]

In several interviews Uematsu expressed great interest in writing an opera. This project had been a labor of love for him and with all the research that he put into it, it clearly shows in the final result. And how beautifully this piece ties in with the main plot of the game shows just how much devotion Uematsu and Sakaguchi put into this. Truly two absolute masters of their craft

[@peggieschafer485]

I've been so curious about how this whole opera project came about! Clearly Sakaguchi knew he was dealing with a musical genius, but I can't help but wonder which pieces plastered him to his chair in awe and led him to that realization.

[@red_elezen]

am so curious which operas inspired him the most

[@feddsp]

the director of 6 and the creator of this idea is Yoshinori Kitase, who is unfortunately so underappreciated in this critical-thinking community... tsk tsk tsk

[@Justforvisit]

Uematsu and Sakaguchi didn't create Final Fantasy. These two working together on it WERE Final Fantasy!

[@puchuchan8020]

l love how you started the "witches, b*tches and britches" phrase about mezzos, and then realised "...oh right, I probably can't say that".

[@MarcoMeatball]

HAHAHAHAHA

[@vaxellimus]

The Pixel Remaster has this scene in multiple languages, including italian. I highly suggest you hear the italian version of this because it's beautiful.

[@sanmeiwolf]

I was downright shocked to see the full performance in so many languages in the remaster. I swear at least half the time and budget spent on the game had to go into the opera alone.

[@TequilaToothpick]

Just don't listen to the English. A huge disappointment,

[@red_elezen]

that is very true the italian one is the most comfortable to sing and the most beautiful one

[@NorthJerseyJedi]

@@TequilaToothpickmy head canon is that Celes isn’t a trained singer so they founded a lesser singer for the English. IDK. But I like the Italian version as well. The German is really good too.

[@PanzerWalrus]

@@NorthJerseyJedi That is exactly what they went for in the English version.

[@captmoroni]

FF6 is a treasure trove of video game music. Suggestion: “Dancing Mad.” You won’t regret it.

[@MarcoMeatball]

It’s on my list 😗

[@captmoroni]

@@MarcoMeatball Also, incredible job with this vid. It's actually making me appreciate opera.

[@EndlessInfinity1]

This. Gotta do all movements. The greatest dilemma is deciding which version of it to use - the original snes? Ffxiv's modern update?

[@Wolfman113091]

The symphonic arrangement is amazing

[@Nimoot]

Love that song so much.

[@Dreikoo]

Thing is, a videogame is also culture too. This scene in the game is all that more powerful because if you've played the game up to that point you will know that the characters performing this were actually helping the opera house which was short on actors and singers, and they also happened to have some romantic tension between them, and the opera scene lets them express their feelings but in the guise of a play so it is not taken to be a "real" confession of love, yet the performance being as powerful as it is very clearly betrays that this is no mere act and lays the foundation for what will come next. If you just divorce it from the game and experience it as an opera and not a part of a videogame you miss out on half the meaning.

[@AkaiAzul]

Sort of. The great Gambler Seltzer was set to kidnap the theater's opera singer, so they set up for one of their own to take her place, but one who's not so helpless. But I digress, it does indeed set up the development and reawakening of her human emotions that she had been denied, allowing her to develop true feelings for another. A wonderful scene, the game would be all the lesser without it.

[@GaußAlagory]

i legit cried when i got there my first time in the game god i love this game

[@pitdarkangel2961]

It also makes it that much powerful on replays, when you see the way that Celes/Maria standing on the top of the castle gets recalled later on in the game.

[@silvertriforce2574]

@@GaußAlagory me too man, me too.

[@celuiquipeut6527]

​@@GaußAlagory I was studying classical music, piano, and classical/ipera signing in my youth. I ayed ff6 when it came out on the snes. I was 13yo. I was so much in my element. I was surprised, touched, and i actually shed a tear whem i listened to this in my teenage years. I will mever forget. And people downplaying video games at that time. In the 90's it wasnt cool to play. Everyone was belittling bideo games and their content. And yet i knew. Seeing these kind of videos as a middle aged men, is validating.

[@elizabethk8718]

Honestly, my first time experiencing this scene was in my early teens when the game originally released, and it really was a life-changing moment. These couple minutes of gameplay were so amazing and so unlike anything I'd encountered in any game before that they ended up fueling an interest in live theatre of all sorts that's been with me ever since. There's been a lot of great scenes in gaming, some I even enjoy more now in a vacuum, but Draco and Maria is the one that truly became a part of who I am as a person.

[@royjonzejr]

Yeah FF6 was the first game I ever played that really went hard on the story. I was totally engrossed in it in a way I never expected to be. Before that I had only ever played games for the gameplay and only expected as much from them.

[@rokuken]

I share your sentiments. I grew an interest in actual opera after seeing this scene on my teen years and wish to see one at least once. And I still stand by my opinion that this is, by far, the best Final Fantasy ever in terms of storyline. I even shed a few tears in a few chapters/scenes and that’s rare to see in a pixelated game.

[@lysanderxx1664]

That's amazing!

[@Stratelier]

My first time with this scene was also as a teen in the actual SNES days. The way Maria's aria became Celes's leitmotif going forward made it all the more powerful ... including (especially!) after Cid's death.

[@manyfungus]

Same here, I was captivated by ff4 album Celtic Moon when I was in early teen & thought nothing else could beat that. It's not until I was brought into world of FF6 music, even the SNES versions were so emotional & pull my heartstrings. My favorite were 'Searching for Friends', Celes' theme & Overworld (Tina's Theme). It's a wonder Nobuo could create melodies that are so beautiful & perfect for the scenes, with all the key musical elements as if created by someone who had formal music degree..

[@arturoaguilar6002]

14:36 I love how amused Marco is with the "Insolent rogue!" line.

[@MarcoMeatball]

😂

[@Til_What]

The Distant Worlds version live was so surreal. An experience I will never forget. (So was the whole concert, but this part especially.)

[@red_elezen]

yes !! with the narrator and the choir !

[@andremiguelpereira6591]

After so many years this piece still gets to me, even though the voice melodies are so linear the arrangement supports that so well. It really is one of Nobuo Uematsu's masterpieces!

[@dstephan34]

I wonder how much of that linearity was limitations on the console. I do appreciate that this live action version did not stray from it though, and even after so long I still recognized the tune.

[@andremiguelpereira6591]

@@dstephan34I don't know if it's because of console limitations, but it's a possibility. Maybe it was to make the main melody more palatable / easy to stick. Or maybe it really was just an artistic choice to have a lullaby-like melody that would convey Maria's longing as a very pure feeling. And to be fair, the linearity is made more apparent when it's sung, since it gives the piece much more dimension when compared to the original midi. Back then doing something like this was incredibly bold though and I'm really glad the new versions compliment the more linear lines in Aria di Mezzo Carattere with a very well thought out orchestration so that each line feels different and emotional in it's own way. So I'm also glad the original melody is untouched. In my opinion it's an incredible moment in videogame music history that allowed so many people to feel opera isn't as out of reach as many would think.

[@justinc882]

I love a good opera, and FF6 is my favorite game of all time. The fact that we got this in a videogame always blows my mind and it's one of the more iconic moments in gaming (to me). I also like that singer playing Celes is good, but not perfect, as the character is a military general not an "opera house floosy" as she puts it.

[@kohlyis6177]

Should definitely check out the original version within the game that utilizes MIDI tracks and projected lyrics and simulates a little performance. It's almost magical how they made it sound like the sprites are singing/vocalizing with what technology they had at the time.

[@peggieschafer485]

So true. I've found that upon revisiting games on old consoles that the graphics are almost always jarring at first, that what we see isn't lining up with our memories. Our imaginations fill in the gaps without us thinking about it, like you do when you read a book, and create these incredible lush environments. I fell in love with Final Fantasy when X came out, but went on to play everything I could get my hands on. In spite of having started in the relative "luxury" of the PS2/1 era, this game just kept unfolding and unfolding into this masterpiece by itself, but this *absolutely unprecedented focus* on such a gorgeous musical moment came out of nowhere and left me awestruck in spite of my acute awareness of the system's limitations, like I probably wasn't snapped out of it by Ultros's shenanigans as much as I should have been 😂

[@RvLeshrac]

I'm sure this live performance is good and all, but the music and the vocals sound just completely wrong to me.

[@ellamir1979]

@@RvLeshrac😂 i feel it too, especially because they changed the “official” lyrics. I used to sing the snes version when I was 12, i loved it so much!!

[@lazyshoggy]

I saw that there was no choice on the lyrics during the song ; is it just the montage of this video or did they really removed that part in the game remastered ?

[@primemetroid4427]

This opera scene is the most vivid memory I had of FF6 as a kid. I always remembered a few memorable moments from this masterpiece but this part always stuck with me so vividly and clearly even after sooo many years of not playing it. What an amazing game that still holds up so well with some truly amazing characters and development.

[@Zestrayswede]

There is also an extended version which incorporates a dedicated duel section Uematsu wrote for his Black Mages rendition, so it's pretty fun to listen to the extended orchestral rendition wherein you have this same very classical music as usual then all of a sudden you have this very metal section... which in less capable hands would stick out like a sore thumb, but Uematsu is a genius so of course it fits in so seamlessly that if you had listened to the extended version first you might've thought that this one was abridged.

[@peggieschafer485]

I just watched that for like the fifth time yesterday! Some may not be big on the acting added to that version, but I adore it. I swear that man can do no wrong, everything just *works.*

[@TheNN]

I always interpreted the opera is not actually as happy as it seems. I thought that Draco in fact did 'not' come back and save Maria. Instead, during the ball scene, the battle is metaphorical between the love Maria has for Draco, versus the love Ralse has for Maria. During that mental struggle between them both, Ralse truly gains an understanding of the depth of feelings Maria had for Draco, and 'duels' the spirit of Draco in her mind, but loses. Thus, Ralse, understanding no matter what he did, Maria would never truly be 'his', lets her go, and moves on, saddened that he won't have the woman he cares for. The ending supports this idea, as the final words sung by Draco and Maria are that they'll 'wait forevermore'. Which while they are together on stage/on screen, implies that they aren't actually "together" as it were. Instead, this is Maria finally accepting that Draco is dead, and she knows that all they have to do is wait, and eventually, when Maria does die (possibly the ending being her suicide to join Draco), she'll be with him again. This makes it much more of a classical tragedy, and one of lovers torn apart by war, who can only be together again in death. It's a rather bleak ending, but it actually ties in well to the themes of the game, about finding a purpose to live. Maria in the opera chooses to not find any new reasons to live. Celes on the other hand (and by extension the other characters) finds their own paths forward despite the eventual state of the world thanks to the machinations and evil that Kefka has wrought.

[@Monocromatico]

Here I go with a lenghty comment :p I happened to get into opera in my early teens, my grandpa and my dad always listened to opera, my grandpa a die hard fan of Caruso (who happened to have married a distant cousin of him), my dad of Domingo, Pavarotti, Te Kanawa, and my own interest rising between the epic Montsrerrat Caballet and Fred Mercury big concert and The Tree Tenors becoming insanely popular, their shows aired on broadcast TV, a few apparitions on Brazilian TV shows and such. I also listened to a classical music radio station, dug into my dad's cd collection, so I knew the basic of what an opera looks and sounds like. When I first played Final Fantasy VI, I had went through all that, was already in my 20's. The game was flowing well, I've got attached to the characters and their particular conflicts. But nothing could prepare me for the Opera House scene. The SNES allowed for composers to include their own sound characters to the game, and since the begining Uematsu had made clear he was going to play a symphony along the gameplay. At the Opera House the tone changes. One of your characters, Celes, has to cover the main singer, Maria, who's missing, in order to lure Setzer, who had promised to take her away and happens to have the airship you need to go on. There is a preparation scene where you have to read your lines and what you should do in the scene. Celes is no singer, she is nervous, and Locke comes in and encourages her. The scene starts, and as beautiful as it sounds, you have to sellect the correct lines, so your focus is on that. She sings the first three verses, and you still have yo follow the script at the right time, take her for a dance, grab a flower bouquet, and climb up to the balcony. There, the magic happens. As you finish your part and lay back for a moment, the scene continues. It's like the game tells you "relax and come with me", as if Celes embodies her character and sings about herself and the affair with Locke, that had just sparked. And you have this moment to realize that a SNES game is playing and "singing" an actual opera. You get the notion that this isn't pixels and sounds anymore, It's overwhelming. I cry everytime I get to this part.

[@mr.vanillamilkshake3]

Draco and Maria is easily one of the greatest experiences you can find in a video game, period. A truly magical experience. ...So it's very telling that when Jake Kaufman and Tommy Pedrini did their cover of it for OverClocked ReMix (under the name "The Impresario"), Nobuo Uematsu himself approved the work and reportedly stated that he owed the pair a beer. While it's unlikely we'll ever get a reaction video (it is a cover, after all), you should still listen to it, because it is simply THAT good. But yeah, it's always good to view these reactions. If you ever want a window into the best VGM compositions of all time, Marco's your man.

[@MarcoMeatball]

:)

[@Stratelier]

Fun fact: In the actual game, Maria sings the "finale" verse from atop the castle walls (where she throws the boquet) after her Aria but before the Ball, making it hit differently. (If you haven't, try looking up a playthrough of this segment from the actual game to see how they wove the story and gameplay together)

[@Sauvenil]

Also, Ralse wins the fight... the conversation between Maria and Draco that followed was basically him apologizing and asking her to be happy about being with Ralse now as the world was changing to embrace the Eastern ways.

[@Bananus069]

Bravo. I'm not educated in opera. I always loved this and so much of Uematsu's work. The fact that there is more to something I always loved, so much study and education, makes it so much more!

[@BeardGrizzly]

This whole series was leading up to this moment. .....and now we find a new moment while we listen to more awesome music.

[@Ryurendan]

I know right? I actually left a comment about a wrek ago on how he had not been told to review this piece yet, i mean it s exactly a pice meant for his channel

[@ekimaulthar2044]

I love the Chocobos running him over at the beginning. Still chuckle at that 20-odd years later. PS; I've never actually heard this in English. In the 16-bit SNES sound effects, sure, and in Japanese. But I never found it in English until just now. Thank You for that.

[@RobertGomezN7]

Growing up, this was one of my favorite RPGs. Though I should also say that this performance was also a comedy as well! Thank you so much for going over! While I'm not a huge opera fan (baritone and trumpet instrumentalist), hearing this as a full orchestra was absolutely wonderful! I must go and give Elder_Geek a watch as well!

[@patricklatham3897]

Maxwell Smart tries to find the KAOS agent in the opera set while trying to impress the Impressario. While undercover, he says, "I've listened to Puccini's work for a whole week straight. Would you believe it, a whole week straight." Impressario, "I find it very hard to believe." Agent Smart, "Would you believe TWO straight days of watching that Looney Tunes Opera episode?" Impressario says,"No." Smart says,"How about catching that opera scene in Final Fantasy VI while my son played that one time?" Jokes and references aside, my first intro to opera was actually a Timex commercial in the 90s, then the Bugs Bunny cartoon that broke my heart until I saw Bugs was okay. But FFVI. FFVI?!! Caught it in my teen years. Beautiful.

[@sleepyfox8983]

Thanks for weaving together pieces that I know with incredible insight to a game that I love.

[@MarcoMeatball]

[@mahatmagandhiful]

The observation about the leading man seeming like he should be a baritone is pretty impressive; in the original version, the (synthesized) voice does indeed have more of a bass/baritone quality than tenor. The antagonist prince character is instead slightly higher-pitched, leans sliiightly more towards tenor than baritone. That being said, the technology being what it was they're both fairly low, deep "voices" that contrast noticeably with the synthesized soprano. EDIT: It's also a shame the video cuts out the intermediary tracks/"movements" that coincide with player control. They're just repeated loops for gameplay purposes, but they're nice music all the same. IIRC one of the orchestrations (Distant Worlds or The Black Mages or... something, one of those arranged albums) arranges the opera, interludes and all.

[@Ladywizard]

Think I've heard the pixel perfect redoing the songs in like 6 different languages each language they got amateurs hired to sing it

[@CaptPoco]

Yeah, the original game had Draco as a very deep bass... which, as Marco points out, makes little sense in an opera since he's the leading man, which is traditionally a tenor.

[@lazyknowledge6286]

I remember how my brother and I played this part as kids and later saw Aida in Verona and other operas. The original was lower in quality but still, it was amazing and caught every emotion and nuance before Setzer came in to ruin the party. ;) FF6 is still one of my most beloved games to this day. Thanks for giving it this amazing video and going over the different parts of this mini-opera. :)

[@MarcoMeatball]

My absolute pleasure.!!!

[@xLeenix]

I admit FF VI is one part i never played in FF and i wasnt even aware they did something like this for this game and wow thats stunning. Also I really really love how you explained the parts and refer it to operas

[@MarcoMeatball]

❤️

[@Goujiki]

Now you know why FF is such a legendary franchise, it's got some really cool stuff in it

[@xLeenix]

@@Goujiki oh well I did knew before xD

[@bombomos]

The opera part is one of the best moments in the game

[@recklesflam1ngo968]

Just a side note: this is the Distant Worlds orchestrated version, the original on SNES could never sound like this though it's still great.

[@riikka9842]

I kind of want to see the entire opera segment, Ultros included, done in FFVIIR quality. Just for fun. Just for spectacle. I was raised by classical musicians so sat through my first opera when I was 2 years old.

[@riikka9842]

It was Albert Herring.

[@FF-tp7qs]

Its not the same thing but 3d model versions of Ultros appear in a couple of other Final Fantasy games including FF14

[@riikka9842]

@@FF-tp7qs Yeah that's not the entire opera fleshed out into modern graphics, which is what I want. lol

[@udiar]

I can imagine it being on par if not better than the honey bee scene in remake

[@Lucerious92]

I LOVE the effort that went into this video. Opera can really be beautiful, and the fact that it's in a video game just makes me so happy. Referencing those other operas and including clips was such a nice touch and I'm so glad you can blend your operatic background with talking about video game music

[@MrDeejay249]

Wow, Draco and Maria! This was my second introduction into an operatic piece of music, but the first real one that let me think ''Holy crap, opera is actually amazing!''. The way opera intertwines emotion and storytelling is just breath-taking~ Oh, and my first experience was The Great Mighty Poo from Conker's Bad Fur Day~ Good times! 😂

[@michealwilliams472]

I'm going to be honest, I wasn't expecting too much from this video, but this was actually really amazing. I especially LOVED that you included clips of the pieces that you were directly referencing; it made this video a great experience.

[@MarcoMeatball]

You didn’t expect much from an opera singer listening to and discussing the only opera scene in a video game (as far as I know?) 🤣🤣??

[@michealwilliams472]

@@MarcoMeatball Haha, I think I more or less meant that I thought the video was going to be boring and wasn't going to hold my attention for the full length. I'm glad to have been proven wrong.

[@MarcoMeatball]

@@michealwilliams472 just teasing you of course :)

[@Schizskai]

Never played FF VI but the music is truly magical and emotional i come back to it every now and then because its just that good. It was interesting to see your reaction to it as well.

[@r2dezki]

What makes it super impressive is that Nobuo Uematsu never studied music.

[@bombomos]

It's the best Final Fantasy in my opinion

[@BJGvideos]

You should play it sometime!

[@bragod]

Its not even the top 3 music of this game. Its impossible to explain the music of FF6.

[@AcadianBacon8]

The version that Uematsu did with his band The Black Mages is still one of my favorites, as well as the West Side Story broadway musical version called The Impressario that just blew my mind.

[@darkarchonisme]

the impressario is one of the best things OCremix has come up with in their 18 years, glad to see a fellow fan of it!

[@Zestrayswede]

@@darkarchonisme Well it's by Jake Kaufman, now famous for being the composer behind the Shantae games and Shovel Knight

[@darkarchonisme]

@@Zestrayswede huh. I've followed the guy for over a decade on ocremix i think, and i never knew that! thats cool im glad he found his way into the games industry professionally too

[@mortti6033]

Thank you for doing this! I was excited to see what you had to say about this. I think there are not many operas in video games overall so it's really refreshing to hear something like this in a video game. And as you said towards the end of the video, this kind of music in a video game allows people who would not voluntarily listen to opera to actually experience it and give it more thought than a shrug. I heard this for the first time randomly from one of the FF Distant Worlds albums and was amazed how beatiful it was. Such a great piece that fits well with what Final Fantasy is. I hope we get more operas in video games in the future!

[@andregon4366]

The opera scene is my main reason to want FF6 to be remade. I want a remake more than I ever wanted FF7 remake.

[@samuraiwarrior87]

Not under current square enix.

[@primemetroid4427]

FF6 would be so much more of an undertaking than FF7 if remade like FF7… it’s probably more likely to be one of the 2D/HD remakes they said they would be doing… which I’m personally down for … FF6 and Chrono Trigger.

[@andregon4366]

@@primemetroid4427 🤞

[@unlimited971]

Ff7 is overrated

[@Ryurendan]

@@unlimited971 ff7 is not overrated, it is a great game, but FF6 is even better game on all aspect, the only reason FF7 is so talked aboit is because it was the very first FF for a lot of people, the one in full 3d and ended up in the hands of many more people because it was on playstation (one of the most sold consoles ever). But from a technical and art aspect, FF6 is far superior

[@PinkMawile]

The Swedish Radio Symphony's rendition of the Aria is probably the best version of it.

[@alexanderweaver5543]

Former Opera Singer here as well. This video game was a formative one in my youth, and this scene especially. This video is the real one. Absolutely spot on with everything. A couple of things I would add to your wonderful analysis: 1. In the original SNES release, even though everything was chiptuned, the voice parts of Ralse and Draco were quite obviously reversed - Draco was the bass-baritone and Ralse was the Tenor. As I grew and became more familiar with music, I therefore always associated this scene with Rigoletto. Even Ralse's costume as a Prince mirrors the Duke of Mantua's traditional regalia, and certainly their motivations are similar. I could go on. 2. There is so much Lucia di Lammermoor in here, as you also observed. The setting is identical. The setup for the sextet is the same. You also correctly observe the similarity with Regnava. However, I think there is even more to mine here. The ghost Lucia talks about in the aria serves as both a retelling of Lucia's ancestor's love and eventual madness, and also a foreshadowing of her own. I particularly like the Met's depiction of this scene, with a ghostly ballet dancer weaving her way through Lucia and her handmaiden as Lucia sings - foreshadowing a ghostly Lucia tormenting Edgardo at the end of the opera as he loses his grip on reality. However, this is where the parallel becomes contrast - in FF6, the ghost Maria sees is of her lover, and ultimately his appearance and the appearance of her handmaiden convinces her to continue with the arranged marriage for the good of her conquered empire. As with the first point, a fascinating contrast. 3. The ball scene - of course there are many in opera to point to - hell, there's an entire subgenre of German Operetta devoted to the idea. But I really am reminded of Traviata in this moment, though, of course, the Lucia parallel becomes evident here as well. In all, as I said, great video, great analysis. Really a joy to watch and be taken down memory lane on many fronts. Cheers!

[@MarcoMeatball]

My pleasure! Thanks for stopping by!

[@Sauvenil]

The voices are correct if it's a bittersweet ending having to do with embracing change, which I always assumed. But for some reason Draco won this fight instead of Ralse? Something seems weird.

[@Anknara]

Ok, I'll admit I like classical music, as well as orchestral music in general, but I've never been much for opera. You make me like opera. I never played FF6 and had no idea it was hiding this! I loved listening to it and to your analysis.

[@MarcoMeatball]

thank you so much

[@kedolan4992]

For what it's worth, this isn't the original music/voice. Obviously with FF6 being on the SNES, it couldn't even begin to have this level of audio on it, so this is a professional audio version of it. That said, the original audio on it is still amazing, and actually feels like they're singing, despite that not being the case.

[@Hasaki_YT]

I love the use of opera in video games. It really brings people of many different interests together to appreciate a piece such as this! I can say for certain that video games have introduced me to opera and orchestral music as a whole. Very good analysis!

[@syaoran5476]

Oh my gosh its here! I didnt get to play 6 but I stumbled on it through distant worlds and I shared it with my former manager who loves opera and it definitely sparked my love for opera and is my personal favorite time marker, memorizing it through many times singing along and then singing to myself at work telling myself, "Alright I just have to make it through two and a half Maria and Draco's and then it's lunch time" lol! Thank you so much as always for doing these, I cherish your input and reactions, and love watching you lose yourself to the music in rapture and familiarity, and the acknowledgment that Video Game music can be just as moving as ""real music"" (cue eyeroll) is always so welcome.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Grateful to read this ❤️

[@hphunter]

Thank you for this. Hearing this on the SNES was something magic for the kid me as I had never paid attention to operas before and even with the limited sound chipset, my imagination just went wild thinking about how it'd sound in real life. Hearing the Distant Worlds version blew my mind again as an adult.

[@BJGvideos]

The score to that game really pushed the envelope of what the SNES sound chip was capable of.

[@bojohns77]

Yes, but that sound chip pushed video game music to a new level. SNES is the system where soundtracks really began to stand on their own.

[@shinigamimiroku3723]

Yknow, as soon as I'd found your channel, I knew that this was going to be a video that you would make before too long. It is easily one of my favorite songs in all of Final Fantasy, and funny enough what got me interested in classical music to begin with.

[@marnixwarren4506]

You killed it with this one man! Bravo. I was really excited for this piece, FFVI being my favorite Final Fantasy, one of my favorite games, and one of my favorite soundtracks. You went the extra mile cutting in all those operatic references. It made watching this particular review that much more informative. Great video.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Thanks buddy ❤️❤️

[@melmacianmage]

Yessss I've been waiting for this one! Love your breakdown on this. I love that Mario and Draco encapsulates so many of these famous tropes and archetypes from past operas! Absolutely beautiful!

[@kelvintay1803]

when i went to the final fantasy live orchestrate i wasnt too excited for this song to be played but once the performance ended, it easily became the highlight of the concert.

[@argoth231]

There's an opera singer that recently sang the main theme in Italian that's just beautiful. Sabina Zweiacker. Melts my heart every time

[@crowolf3862]

The rock version made for The Black Mages does a full performance with actors, and the narrator is a voiced character there. The Opera is a really interesting piece since every version is basically its own adaptation/production of the original “script.” The battle also gets some more voiced lines of the two fighting since they split the actors from the singers.

[@Crause88fin]

Yes, but still I think the deepest dive was done here: 'The Impresario' [Medley] by Jake Kaufman & Tommy Pedrini You can find this either in KZbin or OCRemix. It is really, really... something.

[@thend4427]

Ya I love that version

[@buzby6712]

This scene makes me cry every time...it’s amazing...love your analysis! Your passion and knowledge are impressive.

[@FeryAndrianus]

This is best part of Final Fantasy VI scene. I love on how you gave the deep, detail explanation about this.

[@felix4596]

Honestly this was a part of my childhood and even to this day I remember this scene and this opera as vividly as the first time I heard it in the original 8-bit electronic version as I did today. As I've gotten older I've grown to appreciate Mr.Uematsu's composer skills as I learned that the man was more or less a self-taught musician with a background in rock music who went above and beyond his experiences to create music across both modern and classical. Getting to see you getting to experience the Aria and be in your prime element and truly show your passion for opera is wonderful!

[@Rixstarian]

A marvelous analysis, & I know you couldn't squeeze every single tidbit regarding the Dream Oath Opera & influence into the video w/o padding the video overlong. For example, the standalone recording of Aria di Mezzo Carattere was also recorded in beautiful Italian, & the Pixel Remaster for FFVI has the singing of the female lead resemble an amateur to represent the character, herself, being inexperienced. The english lyrics also differ slightly whether it's the game's version, or one performed at Distant Worlds, for instance. But these are all little addendum notes to the crux of what you covered. Does the Dream Oath Opera tick all the boxes? Yes. Is it magnificent? Absolutely.

[@BJGvideos]

Oh did they actually address how Celes isn't a singer? That's neat. Though I always figured that they just used a recording of Maria (we know record players exist in that setting).

[@Felnoodle1]

FF6 is a true masterpiece of utilizing the rather limited soundchip of the SNES. I first played this game when I was maybe 8 years old and when I listened to the soundtrack many years later for the first time since playing it, I was actually surprised because I vividly remembered this piece having sung lyrics. That's of course impossible to implement on the SNES, but memory and imagination had done their tricks. I must admit I shed a tear or two when I saw this scene in the pixel remaster, since it looked and sounded so much like that memory enhanced scene from my childhood, lyrics and all.

[@StewartUSAF]

One of the best descriptions I’ve heard is to say that composing this soundtrack on the SNES chipset is the equivalent of Michelangelo painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with the 64 pack of Crayolas we all got as kids.

[@Sankis]

The passion with which you talk about Opera really makes me want to check some out myself.

[@Crause88fin]

Absolutely great! But no version with the Ultros ending? :D A whole another layer to the meta-opera. I would HIGHLY suggest you take a look at a Rock opera variation of this, by the name of The Impressario (OCRemix) by Jake Kaufman & Tommy Pedrini.

[@ekimaulthar2044]

SILENCE!! You are in the presence of Octopus Royalty!!

[@Lunar_Crescentfall]

If that's the one I'm thinking of, then yes it's very good aswell

[@TabularConferta]

I love watching you respond to this (the first video of yours I've seen). This piece has been with me for years and to see your eyes open when the lover turned up at the ball made me laugh with delight. Thank you for this.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Haha I appreciate that so much!

[@GimmeTOKYO]

I got to see this performed with singers at the Distant Worlds Tampa concert in 2016. I was brought to tears. It was so good.

[@I_Am_L_3]

30 years later not even truly realizing the true greatness of my favorite game ever, and i still keep finding reasons why it truly was a masterpiece in so many ways. Thank you japan from america. Between this and anime some of the art i love most comes from that country.

[@ColdIronCoyote]

To this day, people are still adapting this piece thru the FF community. You can find reenactments of people doing the while thing in the MMO FFXIV. People attend venues and wait in line to watch live performances. You can find some recordings here on KZbin! Much dedication.

[@ALPHACKER2]

Elder Geek did a really impressive job with the matching of the opera and game sprites, shoutout to him. In my opinion, the same piece sung by the japaneses is even more dramatic and powerful. Strongly recommend you listen to it in your free time.

[@KLGChaos]

This was my first heavily story based RPG and it got me through some really tough teenage years. This song still brings a tear to my eye 30 years later.

[@asukacross]

When this remaster came out and I got to see this I cried. It was such a powerful memory from when I was a child. This scene is what introduced me to my love of Opera.

[@Xanatrix]

Final Fantasy VI is still my favorite Final Fantasy. The opera scene from this game is so impactful, and Maria's parts never cease to pull tears, especially the lyrics.

[@peggieschafer485]

Knowing what you do about Rachel, then the final lyrics: "And then come what may I'll never age a day I'll wait forever more" GOD 😭

[@kairon156]

As a kid I always enjoyed this moment in FF6. Having a playable character take on a role in an opera was awesome and I always enjoy hearing English vocalists sing the lyrics of this powerful moment. There needs to be more Opera in RPG's and games in general.

[@profoundresolve]

Such a beautiful piece of music, and an outstanding performance. Distant Worlds never disappoints. Hearing this for the first time was very emotional for me, as a young teenager with puppy love troubles LOL. It also got me to play FFVI, which was such a beautiful game in its own right.

[@ZealSeraph]

It's amazing how much emotion can be delivered with pixel characters and 16-bit music. This scene is simply magical.

[@red_elezen]

i just discoverd this channel randomly, i've been watching and fangirling every time you mention an opera refernce , as a huge final fantasy fan and an opera choirster my self , this video was a treat ! you did a great job explainig various details about opera and simplifying them , and yes I was actually introduced to opera/choir music through video games and it became a major part of my life in the past 12 years, also suprisingly , i am a mezzo soprano and usually play as a mage even in games !

[@MarcoMeatball]

Hi!!!!!! ❤️

[@red_elezen]

@@MarcoMeatball hii ! 🥰 great content keep up ❤

[@dffagundo]

Marco, that's one of the nicest things you do, sharing your knowledge and experiences, aside from all the reactions! 😄👌 It's so unfair that I started watching this video right before getting some rest, and mentally exhausted from work, as I want to retain the most since it's all new for me. I'll have to rewatch again later 😃

[@paddyknits]

As both a classical musician and a Final Fantasy lover I really really appreciate the historical context and links between pop and opera cultures! Thank you!

[@MarcoMeatball]

Thank YOU Patrick

[@AvidPup1l]

Got to hear this piece performed live in Seattle, so many goosebumps! That finale hits me everytime

[@Matrim42]

Disappointed that Elder Geek left out the best part of the opera, the part where the giant octopus and the thief fall out of the rigging, knock out both princes on accident, and get in a fight until a passing gambler steals the prima donna, who is actually an Imperial general in disguise.

[@MarcoMeatball]

damnit Elder Geek

[@soraouma663]

Loved the video! So glad you did a video on this, and I absolutely loved seeing all of these Opera's you showed. I think it's really quite special that you can introduce those whom would never have come across these works of art by exploring these game tracks. I know I will be checking out every Opera you showed.

[@sonicplys64]

Its one of the most iconic scenes in video game history. People who have never played or heard of the game, you bring up "Opera scene from Final Fantasy VI" they will know what you're talking about or have heard about it.

[@LieblingsLuu]

God, I didn’t know I needed this video until I saw it. Thank you so much for your incredible work, Marco ❤️ You’re the best ❤️

[@MarcoMeatball]

Aw, thank you! My pleasure.

[@RetroPerspective]

Aria de Mezzo Caraterre is a wonderful opera that introduced many 90s kids, like myself, to dramatic theatre in a 16bit format. Years later I would see the same opera performed live with a full orchestra and singers. It was one of the most enriching and wonderful experiences of my life. This is one of many reasons Final Fantasy VI garners so much respect.

[@solasslym3]

I grew up in the back of an opera house. I would've been 14 or 15 when I played FF6 the first time back in the 90's, and I couldn't believe I was seeing an opera in a video game. And as you say, a genuine, actual opera, with singing characters and a fully dramatic, tragic storyline. It was shocking. It was marvelous.

[@vampjoseph]

Every time I play Final Fantasy VI I get excited when I get to the opera scene because I can just sit back and have a great theatre experience. It's a fantastic way to take a narrative break from the rest of the plot and still be entertained throughout!

[@Bardic_Knowledge]

Uematsu-sensei also did a full Rock Operetta version with his band The Black Mages under the title of Darkness and Starlight.

[@DonTilhas]

Great video Marco! I appreciate the inclusion of opera examples to better illustrate your points, well done.

[@end_spire]

I just saw them sing the longer version of the song at distant worlds, and all the performers were amazing! It felt so good to hear them live

[@TakaokiOnishi]

Best commentary ever on this subject! Love it!!

[@MarcoMeatball]

TAKAAAAAAA

[@fexed]

I've played this part for the first time just few days ago with the FF VI Pixel Remaster. I had no idea that this OST was featured, nor have I heard of this before. I've been relistening to that and rewatching the magnificent visuals of the Pixel Remaster and this analysis has only increased the appreaciation that I have for this game. Amazing OST, and I can't wait to finish it and hear the last boss fight music.

[@spudsbuchlaw]

Knowing this is a metaphor for her and Locke... Man, that's one hell of a bond

[@DragonmasterCire]

One of the most amazing things was the original score was done on 16-bit soundcards. This song has aged very well; funny enough, this song was never finished in the original game as Ultros, Locke, and party fall on the stage knocking out the two lead male roles. Locke then pretends that it's part of the show, and the Returns battle Ultros afterward. Setzer descends and grabs Celes, taking her to the Blackjack airship.

[@ChallengeIdeas]

In fact--at least in the SNES version--the song was completed! The opera actually changed scenes to a ballroom, which is where the "duel for the hand of Maria" took place.

[@FluffieXStarshine]

I've been to a couple Distant Worlds concerts and they are amazing to see in person. they have not had Draco and Maria on the rotation yet for me but I hope to see it one day.

[@WilliamTheWatchful]

I witnessed this performance twice from Distant World. It brought me to tears and got the standing ovation it deserved. Twice. (who am I kidding? I'm crying each time I hear this song.)

[@MINICHE79]

I like more the version of this opera where at the end of the confrontation a giant octopus falls over Draco and Ralse and then María is kidnapped by a gambler with a flying ship

[@rei-miyazaki]

This scene wit Celes in FF VI is one of memorable event that I always remember. Thank you for cover this.

[@queens.dee.223]

I know very little about opera, though I did play violin in orchestras from elementary school through college. I wonder if the reason the opera in FF6 features a trio rather than a sextet (as discussed before 16:28) was a limit of the system. The SNES only had so many sound channels. Maybe given those technical constraints, plus the pacing constraints of being just one (admittedly pivotal, incredibly moving) scene from the game that included a parallel storyline off-stage involving a sentient, malevolent octopus and a gambler with the world's last functioning airship, made a sextet practically unfeasible. Thank you so much for making this video and being a toehold into the world of opera via my favorite childhood video game. I wish you had listened to the original SNES soundtrack even for just a few bars, though I'm only at 20:56 so maybe you still will!

[@giapso33]

Really enjoyed this video, thank you. I do not know much about opera but I love this game and this made me appreciate it (and the OST) even more. I couldn’t help but subscribe to your channel after watching! Your genuine love of the music and art is contagious and I thank you for making this video and breaking down this iconic scene.

[@MarcoMeatball]

Thank you ❤️

[@IuriFiedoruk]

The italian version or the japanese are SO MUCH better than the english one, it is a shame you did not took a look at it. But amazing video, I learned a lot from it. BTW, this game made me interested inm opera, so I watched quite a few because of this. I call that a win-win.

[@Northspade]

Whenever I hear Draco & Maria, I get the urge to write a high fantasy love tragedy. It’s so good.

[@Silvist]

Back in high school, I went to an anime convention in the late 90's. I was staying the weekend with my high school gf, who specifically loved cosplay. Alot of her friends all cosplayed together, and it was one of the main reasons they loved visiting conventions. During one of the panel cosplay competitions, one of her friends took to the stage. She actually sang one of the songs related to this piece by Celes in latin. I think it was called Aria di Mezzo Caratter, but I'm unsure since its been a long time since I looked it up. This took most people by surprise, and I was probably one of thefiew who had played all the way through ff6 and recognized it immediately. We had no idea on even the theme, because some people who cosplay change their outfits daily, or work on their outfit until the reveal. It was an experience I surely won't forget :D

[@ShinReska]

Just found your channel and I love seeing professionals react and talk about game music. I love this game and this song (still get goose bumps). There are some great versions of this music out there. My top beyond this version are the tracks from OCREMIX "Balance and Ruin" album and the official update that came with the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster. Subscribing to you now and cannot wait to check out more of your vids!

[@MarcoMeatball]

🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@doctornormal]

@@MarcoMeatball Balance and Ruin's version is legitimately my favorite. I've been going back and binge watching your reactions. I love your explanations and reactions. As a former music education major I am reminded why I wanted to go that route to begin with.

[@MarcoMeatball]

@@doctornormal Aw thank you 🥰

[@midgetmidas]

Aria Di Mezzo Caratterre is one of the most amazing songs and Opera in exitance. There is no need to quantify it, no need to critique. It is simply amazing.

[@Nimoot]

Oh man ... I heard this live a few years ago in Seattle ... I'd never played FFVI nor heard it... It was Amazing...

[@TenshiKisai]

Amazing, I hadn't realized the OST completed the Opera. During the duel, the players party is fighting in the loft. At 15:59 in the game, is where the hero's party falls from the loft and lands on both the two male leads, which leads to another track called "Grande Finale". It's still amazing that it's a condensed Opera. The other thing to note in the game, is that it is implied that this is just one act, and we don't see what happens between 6:25 and 7:15, as this is when the players party goes to the dressing room to give Celes some words of encouragement. Basically the OST does work out to be a short-but-complete Opera, but the game has things happening "while" the Opera is going on.

[@LoneTiger]

In the original FF6 for the SNES, you had to imagine the voice behind the music, it was really a priceless piece of the story in the game. The pixel remasters, I think, do some justice to it, but listening to the Spanish or Italian versions... Wow! They did a great job putting the right lyrics in each language version of the songs. 👍 Also... just ignore the purple octopus falling from above. 😹

[@ChallengeIdeas]

"Well, kids, hate to ink and run...but I AM an octopus!"

[@kobarsos82]

Agreed I really don't like the english voices here. Its somehow better without voices, compared to the english voices at least. Original ftw. But I'm pretty sure spanish or italian might be amazing as you are suggesting.

[@LoneTiger]

@@kobarsos82 The Italian and Spanish versions of course do sound alike since the word pronunciation and intonations are very similar, nevertheless they do sound better than English, but that's just me. Try Italian version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoCVZnWlpLahq6s Or Spanish: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIO9nYKKat6Ubs0

[@Nowe62]

Thank you for reacting :)

[@tirvallo]

I came to the channel for the Ace Combat reactions, stayed for learning about opera with one of my favorite FF tracks. I actually feel like "Maria and Draco" is a good 'gateway opera' that serves a easy to digest entry into the medium.

[@0to100_RealQuick]

I was a little kid and ill never forget how lost in this game I got. I will never forget the opera scene.