Its composition roughly coincides with that of Roussel's Symphony No. 3. It describes the abduction of Ariadne by Dionysus. The Paris Opera premiered the two-act work under the direction of Philippe Gaubert on 22 May 1931, with choreography by Serge Lifar and sets by Giorgio de Chirico.^[2]

Roussel created two orchestral suites from the score, the first premiered by Charles Münch on 2 April 1933, and the second by Pierre Monteux a year later.

A late work, the piece reflects Roussel's distinctive orchestration style and his preference for late classical rhythms and harmonies.