In addition to authoring several opuses of original string quartets, the Viennese violinist and composer Franz Alexander Pössinger (1766–1827) also produced twenty arrangements of operas and opera overtures for string quartet. In the early nineteenth century, such arrangements played a vital role in opera canon formation by promoting the latest works and trends in opera houses while also providing a reliable source of income for the arranger at a time when the role of kapellmeister was in decline. This edition presents a selection of Pössinger’s opera overture arrangements, chosen on the basis of their historical interest and musical appeal, ranging from lesser-known operas by Joseph Weigl, Adalbert Gyrowetz, Giacomo Meyerbeer, and François-Adrien Boieldieu to canonic works such as Beethoven’s Fidelio, Weber’s Oberon, and Rossini’s La gazza ladra. All seven arrangements demonstrate Pössinger’s considerable skill in adapting orchestral works for a four-part chamber ensemble.