If you were a fan of the famous opera scene from Final Fantasy VI featuring the song “Aria di Mezzo Carattere,” you’ll definitely appreciate this post.

Award-winning vocalist Jillian Aversa, known for her work on games like Halo, Civilization, and God of War among other titles, teamed up with renowned cellist Tina Guo (who has worked on Journey, Diablo III, Call of Duty Black Ops II) to create a music video in honor of the game’s 21st anniversary. The song, originally composed by Nobuo Uematsu, is also featured on the new Video Games Live: Level 4 album and was recorded with The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. It was produced by game composer Tommy Tallarico.

The aria couldn’t have been a better fit for Aversa’s ethereal voice, as she’s a known fan of Japanese RPGs and Uematsu’s music. She Remarked, “the arrangement began as a collaboration with my husband, Andrew Aversa (a.k.a. zircon), for the Final Fantasy VI: Balance & Ruin project he directed on OverClocked ReMix. We added more orchestral elements when I started performing the piece with Video Games Live, so I was thrilled at the opportunity to record with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra for our latest album, Video Games Live: Level 4!”

On Tina Guo’s inclusion in the project, Aversa stated, “I couldn’t imagine a better cellist to feature on this piece. Tina has performed on a slew of videogame and film soundtracks, and her artistry is second to none! Director Landon Donoho and I thought it would be cool to film the two of us on the same ‘stage’ setting (actually a studio space in L.A.), but never together in the same shot. The rich red of Tina’s dress and cello complemented my rose bouquet as the character Celes; we wanted her to represent the embodiment of love expressed through the music. As for my opera gown, I made it myself!”

In addition to the tribute to Final Fantasy VI, Aversa’s YouTube channel also features music videos dedicated to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, and Destiny. If you like what you’ve heard, you can also check out her Soundcloud account.  

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So what did you think of the video? Let us know in the comments below.