Ouvertüre zu Leichte Kavallerie (2nd Edition) Franz von Suppé / Arr. Bill Holcombe

Arrangement for brass ensemble.

The Overture from the operetta "Light Cavalry" by composer Franz von Suppé and librettist Karl Costa premiered on March 21, 1866, at the Carltheater in Vienna. Today, it is only known for its world-famous overture.

"The legend that the operetta, which allegedly parodied the Austrian military, was banned after the lost war against Prussia in 1867 is just as false as the opposing claim that the operetta is no longer performed because it glorifies the military too much. The life of the hussars is portrayed in a romanticized way, but not glorified. Light Cavalry is the first Viennese operetta to incorporate Hungarian musical elements long before The Gypsy Baron (1895, Johann Strauss).

A revised version of the operetta Light Cavalry was created by Hans Bodenstedt in 1934. In this version, the story is set around 1750 at Rheinfels Castle and deals with the question of what to do when the ruler spends his money on mistresses. It is decided to summon a real cavalry to put an end to the lord's debauchery."