Opera House (Final Fantasy VI)

The Opera House is a level in the 1994 role-playing video game Final Fantasy VI developed by Square. Taking place partway through the game, it occurs when the game's characters require an airship, the only one of its kind, owned by the adventurer and gambler Setzer. The character Celes, a former Imperial general, is a near-double of a famous opera diva named Maria, who Setzer is planning to kidnap during a performance. The characters plan for Celes to switch places with Maria, causing her to be kidnapped in Maria's place and allowing the others to sneak aboard the airship and convince Setzer to let them use it. During the opera, "Maria and Draco", Celes "sings" the song "Aria di Mezzo Carattere" in a cutscene, before the opera is attacked by the villainous monster Ultros. The party rushes across the rafters in order to stop Ultros from dropping a stage weight on Celes, upon which time they battle and defeat Ultros, preserving the ruse. The opera scene is considered one of the most iconic and memorable cutscenes in gaming history, and has been noted by critics for its unconventional artistic nature and emotions evoked despite the limited hardware.