If you have played video games at any point in the past 30 years, chances are you’re aware of the Final Fantasy franchise. You may not realize though that every title offers a unique, surreal world to explore, memorable allies and villains, and a storyline as intricate as it’s poignant.
But most importantly, the music. Composed by Nobuo Uematsu’s the soundtrack accompanies your epic journey: a furious maelstrom of violin and drums as you square off against the final boss, the cheerful trumpet bursts as you ride a chocobo in the open plains, and the sad piano ballad that sent your favorite character to a tragic death.
If these thoughts evoke any nostalgia or spark interest, then you’ll definitely want to experience Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy.
Set for May 31 at 8 p.m., Grammy Award winner and conductor Arnie Roth and his orchestra will reverberate the Ohio Theatre with live music performances of FF X: Zanarkand, FF XV: Apocalypsis Noctis, FF VII: Cosmo Canyon, and more. Game cutscenes – universally acclaimed for their sharp graphics, impressive visual effects and animations – will pair with the orchestra and chorus on the big screen, further adding to the immersion.
Not much of a gamer? The music alone is worth the trip. A living legend, composer Uematsu is widely known as the “Beethoven of video games music” and has appeared in the top 20 of the annual Classic FM Hall of Fame five times. The Distant Worlds concert has been running for the past 10 years and has consistently sold out in major cities including Los Angeles, Berlin and London. This international concert is almost certain to make a similar splash in Columbus.
Tickets are $48.50-$98.50 and can be purchased in person at the CAPA Ticket Center, online at www.capa.com, or by phone at 614-469-0939 or 800-745-3000. For more information on the concert, visit www.ffdistantworlds.com.
Gils Weber
Emile Lin is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at lfreudenberg@cityscenemediagroup.com.
