Maurice Bejart's great admiration for the films of Federico Fellini and their accompanying music prompted the French choreographer to seek the opportunity to collaborate with composer Nino Rota who remained Fellini's musical alter ego throughout his life. The music for Le Moliere imaginaire, a comedie-ballet in two acts in commemoration of the great French dramatist, was created during an extended period in the summer of 1976 when Bejart and Rota had allotted almost a month to be devoted solely to this project. The version of this music for piano originated during the collaborative working phase of the two artists and appears in abbreviated form at the beginning of the ballet when the curtain rises on the first act.