Adolphe Charles Adam (July 24, 1803 - May 3, 1856) was a French composer and music critic. His father, Jean-Louis Adam, was a professor at the Paris Conservatoire, but Adolphe enjoyed improvising music by himself, rather than study seriously. That suited his father fine--he wasn't keen on his son following his path. Eventually, however, Adolphe started studying seriously (and secretly) and eventually entered the Paris Conservatoire.  He ended up becoming a prolific writer of ballets and operas, particularly opéra comique.

La Poupée de Nuremberg is one of those operas, in one act. It is based on E.T.A Hoffmann's short story Der Sandmann, and premiered in Paris on February 21, 1852, predating other stage adaptations of Hoffman's story. We are looking at just the overture today.

Clocking in at a little over five or six minutes, it's a short, cute overture that beings with strings presenting a jolly main theme. It's then followed by the winds imitating it, a smaller section of the strings doing the same, and then the entire orchestra follows suit.  It's slightly pompous and grand, and cheerful through and through. After the recap, the orchestra goes in to waltz, equally as cheerful, with a very short section in a minor key, only to return almost immediately to major, and rounding out the piece in full bombastic manner!

Here's a recording for you to enjoy!

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