Aria di Mezzo Carattere

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Opera Scene from Final Fantasy VI.

"Aria di Mezzo Carattere" (translates to Air of Half Character from Italian), or simply "Aria" (アリア?) in its original Japanese, is an aria from the opera The Dream Oath: Maria and Draco, written by veteran Final Fantasy video game music composer Nobuo Uematsu for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System game Final Fantasy VI (originally released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in North America under the title Final Fantasy III). The Dream Oath is the only opera to be created and composed for a video-game. The opera is mostly in the game for one's enjoyment but also features a small game element. Three times during the opera the player must choose the correct line for Celes to sing; failing to do so will result in the player being ejected from the opera house and being forced to attempt the sequence again. Celes Chere must take this role to help the party get an airship from Setzer Gabbiani.

In the original Japanese version of the game, the music is closely aligned with the lyrics, co-written by Uematsu and scenario writer/game director Yoshinori Kitase, although because of technical limitations, no voice is heard, except for an attempt at recreating a voice on the SPC700 sound format. On the album Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale there is a live version of the opera performed by the Milan Symphony Orchestra with vocals by mezzo-soprano Svetla Krasteva in Italian. The singing part of Maria is a Mezzo-Soprano, the singing part of Draco is a Tenor and the singing part of Ralse is a Baritone when performed with vocals. This song is also found in the second full motion video included in Final Fantasy VI as part of Final Fantasy Anthology and Final Fantasy VI for the PlayStation in Europe and Australia with the same lyrics but a different musical arrangement. The lyrics for this version of the song are also found below.

A longer arrangement with Japanese vocals (including a true ending to the opera) can be found on the track "Opera - The Dream Oath" in the ultra-rare CD, Orchestral Game Concert 4 which was released only in Japan and consists of an orchestra playing arranged versions of video games music. Although the opera actually has an ending in this arrangement, "Grand Finale?", the theme used during the fight with Ultros, is also included. The music was arranged and conducted by Kousuke Onozaki and performed by the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra featuring Wakako Aokimi (mezzo-soprano), Tetsuya Oono (tenor) and Hiroshi Kuroda (baritone).

Another shorter arrangement of "The Dream Oath", titled "Opera 'Maria and Draco'" was also performed during the Tour de JAPON music from FINAL FANTASY orchestral concert tour, using Japanese vocals and the arrangement was done by Shiro Hamaguchi. The same arrangement appears in More Friends music from FINAL FANTASY ~Final Fantasy Orchestra Concert in Los Angeles 2005~, performed in English at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles by the World Festival Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Mannheim Steamroller violin player and conductor Arnie Roth featuring Stephanie Woodling (mezzo-soprano), Chad Berlinghieri (tenor) and Todd Robinson (baritone). Many of the original English translated lyrics were rewritten to sound more fluent. The same arrangement was also performed at the VOICES music from FINAL FANTASY concert held at the Pacifico Yokohama on February 18, 2006, with the lyrics again sung in Japanese with Arnie Roth conducting the Prima Vista Philharmonic Orchestra featuring Etsuyo Ota (mezzo-soprano), Tomoaki Watanabe (tenor) and Tetsuya Odagawa (baritone).

A unique version of this song is also played during the ending full motion video of the game's PlayStation remake; this is a "humming" version.

Contents

[edit] Japanese Romaji lyrics with English translation

Impresario
Seigun to tōgun no tatakai wa
himashi ni hageshiku natte ita.
Seigun no Garū-jō no senshi
Dorakū wa gekisen no senchi de
bokoku ni nokoshite kita
Maria no koto o omō....
 Impresario
The battle between the West and the East
was growing more fierce day by day.
On the battleground during a furious skirmish,
the soldier Draco of the Western castle Garou
thinks of Maria,
whom he left in his homeland....
Draco
Oh, Maria
Oh, Maria
Watashi no koe ga todoite iru ka
Omae no moto e
 Draco
Oh, Maria
Oh, Maria
Is my voice reaching
To where you are?
Impresario
Seigun wa yabure, Maria no shiro wa
tōgun no shihaika ni okareta.
Tōgun no ōji Rarusu no kekkon o
shiirareta Maria wa
Dorakū e no omoi o sutekirezu
maiban yozora o mite wa
koibito o omō....
 Impresario
The West was defeated, and Maria's castle
came under Eastern control.
Maria, forced into marriage by
the Eastern Prince Ralse,
does not abandon her feelings for Draco,
but thinks of her lover each night
as she watches the skies....
Maria
Itoshi no anata wa tooi tokoro e?
Iro asenu, towa no ai, chikatta bakari ni
 Maria
My beloved, are you going to a distant place?
And we just pledged eternal love...

Kanashii toki ni mo, tsurai toki ni mo,
Sora ni furu, ano hoshi o anata to omoi.
Through sad times and hard times,
I'll think of that shooting star as you.

Nozomanu chigiri o kawasu no desu ka?
Dō sureba? Nee anata? Kotoba o matsu.
Do I have to exchange vows with one I don't love?
What shall I do? I'm waiting for your words...
Draco
Saa... Maria yo
Watashi to issho ni suteppu o....
 Draco
Come... Maria.
Dance a step with me....
Draco
Ha ha ha ha....
 Draco
Ha ha ha ha....
Maria
Arigatō, watashi no aisuru hito yo
Ichido demo kono omoi yureta watashi ni
 Maria
And I thank you, my beloved,
For my feelings may have swayed,

Shizuka ni, yasashiku kotaete kurete,
Itsumademo, itsumademo anata o matsu.
But oh so gently, and so kindly, you answered me
I'll wait for you forevermore...
Chancellor
Rarusu-ōji ga osagashi desu.
Dance no oaite o.
Mō oakirame kudasai.
Waga kuni wa tōgun no zokkoku ni
natte shimatta no desu kara....
 Chancellor
Prince Ralse is looking for you.
Please be his dance partner.
Please resign yourself to this.
We've become a dependency
of the East, after all....
Messenger
Seigun no ikinokori ga semete kita!!
 Messenger
The Western survivors are attacking!!
Ralse
Nani!?
 Ralse
What!?
Soldiers
Kakare--!!
 Soldiers
Attack--!!
Draco
Matte!!
 Draco
Wait!!
Draco
Maria!
 Draco
Maria!
Maria
Dorakū!
Kono hi o shinjiteta.
 Maria
Draco!
I had believed in this day.
Ralse
Maria wa kono watashi no
kisaki ni naru beki hito da.
 Ralse
Maria is meant to
be my queen.
Draco
Inochi tsukihateyō tomo
hanashi wa shinai.
 Draco
Though it may cost me my life,
I refuse to let her go.
Ralse
Kettō da!
 Ralse
Then we duel!

[edit] Italian lyrics with English translation

Singer Svetla Krasteva performed the aria in Italian for the CD Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale (pictured above)
Singer Svetla Krasteva performed the aria in Italian for the CD Final Fantasy VI Grand Finale (pictured above)
Italian

Amor mio, caro bene
Perché vai lontan da me?
Giurasti un amor, che mai non dovea
Aver fine per noi

Nei momenti di tristezza
Nei momenti di dolor
A te, mia stella, penso
Con infinito ardore

Un legame senza speme
Perché mai dovrei aver?
Che cosa tu vuoi ch'io faccia oramai
Mi devi dire tu

Ti ringrazio, caro bene
Amor mio, vita mia
Al grave doler, al buio timor
Che il cuore mi turbó

Dolcemente, con amore
Hai risposto al mio gridare
Per sempre ognor, per sempre ognor
Qui a me, t'attenderò

 English

My love, dear one
Why do you go so far from me?
You swore a love that would have never died
Would never end for us

In times of sadness
In times of sorrow
I think of you, my star
With infinite ardor

Why must I have
A bond without hope?
What do you want me to do?
You must tell me

I thank you, dear one
My love, my life
With grave sorrow, with dark fear
With which my heart is troubled

Sweetly, with love
You responded to my cries
Every day, forever, every day, forever
I will wait for you here by me

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Final Fantasy VI

Characters • Locations • Terminology
Terra • Locke • Edgar • Sabin • Shadow • Cyan • Gau • Celes • Setzer • Mog • Strago • Relm • Gogo • Umaro
Kefka • Banon • Ultros • Leo • Gestahl • Cid • Maduin and Madeline
Aria di Mezzo Carattere • Anthology • Anthology Soundtrack • SGI Demo • Original Sound Version • Piano Collections • Grand Finale • Special Tracks
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