The Overture to the opera Fra Diavolo , composed by Daniel-François-Esprit Auber in 1830, is one of the most brilliant examples of a French comic opera overture. The opera recounts, with lively irony, the adventures of the legendary brigand Fra Diavolo, blending melodic elegance, pressing rhythm, and theatrical spirit.

Antonio Licitra 's transcription for band fully restores the color and energy of the orchestral original, highlighting the wind and percussion sections in a strikingly balanced...