Born in present-day Croatia, Franz von Suppé spent most of his life composing and conducting theater works in Vienna. Although his operettas propelled him to wide renown in his time, today we remember him mostly for a handful of overtures to these works. Light Cavalry Overture, which premiered in 1866, features a man who joins the Hussars and becomes a debonair soldier. It begins with a maestoso fanfare, announcing the triumphant arrival of the light cavalry. A frantic melody in the violins leads to the famous cavalry theme, which features a galloping rhythmic motif. When it dies down, a mournful clarinet solo leads into an emotional passage in the strings. Suddenly, the cavalry theme returns, and escalates the music to a celebratory close. – Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Shen Yun Creations are available at ShenYunCreations.com.