Poulenc's second ballet score, published in 1929, is a work comprising ten musical pieces performed by an orchestra of piano and eighteen other instruments. The ballet's scenario, centered on the theme of "female solitude," was also penned by the composer himself. The characters are Diana, the goddess of the moon, and her attendant nymphs. It depicts their awakening from sleep between dawn and sunrise, as they grapple with loneliness, sorrow, and unfulfilled love. The premiere took place privately at the residence of the Count and Countess de Noailles, who were Poulenc's patrons and the work's commissioners. The public premiere occurred in 1930.

Characteristic of Poulenc's oeuvre, given his prowess as a pianist, the piano assumes a prominent role both as a solo instrument and as an integral part of the orchestra. The opening theme, introduced by horns and trumpets, recurs throughout the work in various guises, serving as a foundational motif. Furthermore, as heard in the seventh movement, "Récitatif, introduction aux variations de Diane," self-quotations from his other works, such as the Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, are also evident.