The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time introduced me, and likely millions of other players, to the beautiful sounds of the ocarina. With each press of the yellow C buttons on my N64 controller, I marveled at the notes produced; I would hum the simple melodies of “Epona’s Theme” and “Zelda’s Lullaby” as I went about my days as a child. And now, STL Ocarina has combined the talents of flautist Juliet Cruz and director Devory Newsome to infuse the beautiful melodies of the Champions from Breath of the Wild with the nostalgic sound of the ocarina.
Juliet Cruz, dressed as Princess Zelda, does an amazing job leading us through this medley of melodies. She starts with “Revali’s Theme” before swinging through Daruk’s domain, drifting along with the notes of “Mipha’s Theme”, and concluding in the desert with Urbosa’s melancholy song. As she plays each melody on the ocarina, she is accompanied by a simplified instrumental version of each Champion’s theme, a combination that brings to mind Link and Sheik’s duets. Just as the two heroes’ music unlocked new areas to explore, the musical mixture of Juliet Cruz’s ocarina and the other instruments unlocks new feelings of nostalgia in listeners by bringing the iconic sounds of the little blue flute and the tunes of the Champions together.
The Champions’ melodies are also accompanied by sounds of nature that would be heard in their respective regions. For example, the chirping of birds can be heard alongside Revali’s airy tune, as can the rumbling of the lava flows in Death Mountain when listening to “Daruk’s Theme”. This inclusion makes it feel like the princess herself is guiding listeners as they travel by her side through a tour of Hyrule, marveling as she practices a musical instrument that her research has shown was once of great importance to the Royal Family. This sensation of joining the princess on a road trip is further enhanced by the masterful direction of Devory Newsome. Juliet Cruz’s costume and the backgrounds that emulate the Champions’ home environments makes the whole thing look almost like an old music video. I can imagine small white letters fading in at the beginning of the video, reminding us of the princess’s newest album that will soon be available to purchase through Hyrule’s preferred streaming platform.
The combined talents of Juliet Cruz and Devory Newsome transport listeners to a place that feels both familiar and refreshingly new. The fusion of sounds synonymous with Ocarina of Time and melodies immortalized in Breath of the Wild creates a mixture worthy of the Sacred Realm, inviting us to be the princess’s biggest fans as we accompany her on her musical tour of the kingdom.
