The Roman Carnival Overture

The Roman Carnival Overture by Berlioz is a very popular selection essentially made up of music from his opera, Benvenuto Cellini, especially its carnival scene, but is intended to stand on its own as a concert piece.  Interestingly, the word “carnival” means “put the meat away”, and refers to Shrove Tuesday, a time of revelry and feasting before the austerity of Lent.