overture in WordNet English dictionary

1. a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others
   "she rejected his advances"
   overture  advance  approach  feeler 
   
2. orchestral music played at the beginning of an opera or oratorio
   overture 
   
3. something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows
   "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner"
   preliminary  overture  prelude