As a contribution to the opera 'Armer Columbus' by German composer Erwin Dressel, Shostakovich composed two of his quirkiest and oddest early orchestral pieces. An energetic 'Entr'acte' in c minor (Allegretto poco moderato), also known as the Overture (although it appears before the sixth scene of the opera) followed by a hilariously noisy 'Finale' (Moderato - Andantino - Allegro) with mock American dance-music, a parade of American sailors (presumably on ships in New York harbour).
Shostakovich's contributions were intended to overcome a couple of dramatic weaknesses in Dressel's score and to underline more strongly the Communist politics of this idea.