What's everyone's favorite Overture?

I love the overture to "The Poet and the Peasant" (I'm drawing a blank on the composer right now)! I played it at an all-state music festival, and I'd never heard of it before then. But the cello solo in the beginning is soooo beautiful. I also really enjoy the overture to "Ruslan and Ludmilla" by Glinka. I've never played it with an orchestra, but it's such an exciting piece. The Berlin Phil. has a great performance of this on youtube. *Edit! The composer of Poet and Peasant is Franz von Suppe. And thanks for mentioning the Egmont Overture, Cellogirl! I'd forgotten about that one, but now I remember how much I liked it when I played it in orchestra.

I share your enthusiasm for the Meistersinger prelude to Act 1. But afraid there's several others I have a great love for; if you will permit me - in no particular order of preference: Verdi: "La forza del destino" Emil von Reznicek: "Donna Dianna" - a piece I believe seldom if ever referenced on this forum; here's a You Tube video performance, for any who may not be familiar with it [some of us ole' timers remember it from the days when there was only the radio, no TV]. It was used as the accompanying music to "Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police" program, if I recall correctly] : Carlos Gomez: "Il Guarany" a favorite of Artur Fielder, who often programmed it when he was at the helm of the Boston Pops: (not a very good recording, sorry) And of course, more Wagner - "Der Fliegender Hollander" "Tannhauser" (Dresden version - not the Paris, which leads directly into the Bacchanale) Alberich

Der Freischutz Overture by Carl Maria von Weber. It starts a bit slow but later becomes lively and fun.

I like the Beethoven Overtures very much, but here is one of Verdi's Overtures, "La Forza del Destino" and it's conducted by the great Toscanini. It's the first time I've been able to see him in action as I'd always known him by a photo only. And there's a brief comment by Menuhin. It is:

Mozart - Marriage of

I agree that the Overture to Die Meistersingers is a great one and there are so many other great ones to enjoy. Don't over look the wonderful Donna Diana Overture by Reznicek or Nicolai's Merry Wives of Windsor Overture for tunefulness.

Sort of modern, but I love the Overture to Candide.

I'm going to have to agree with Emma on this one....Glinka's Russlan and Ludmilla Overture is a great piece. And Emma, it's an invcredibly fun piece to play too! I just did about two weeks ago.

My favourite operatic overture is that of Rossini's opera La Gazza Ladra. I also love the overture to Handel's secular oratorio/opera Semele. As everyone else has said, Mozarts overtures are amazing, but I prefer these two very slightly more.