Meyerbeer's opera "Le pardon de Ploërmel" (often titled "Dinorah" after the heroine, which was the title used for performances outside France) premiered at the Opéra-Comique on April 4, 1859, achieving overwhelming success. Burgmüller's waltz based on the themes from this opera was dedicated to Marie Pleyel, acclaimed as one of the foremost pianists of her time, and was promptly published in 1859, the same year as the opera's premiere.

The cover of the first edition features a portrait of Marie Cabel (1827–1885), the singer who premiered the original work, in the role of Dinorah. Besides Dinorah, Cabel also sang Manon in the premiere of Auber's "Manon Lescaut" (to whom Burgmüller dedicated his "12 Etudes," Op. 105) and Philine in the premiere of Thomas's "Mignon" (Mignon in this premiere was sung by Célestine Galli-Marié, who later sang Carmen in the premiere of Bizet's "Carmen"). The director of the Opéra-Comique at the time later testified that Philine's famous aria "Je suis Titania" was composed at Cabel's request.

Burgmüller's waltz begins with an introduction utilizing melodies such as the "Hunter's Song" sung by the hunters in Act 3 of the opera and Dinorah's "Lullaby" sung in Act 1. Upon entering the main section, melodies like the theme representing Dinorah's pet goat (whose original orchestration closely resembles Paganini's "La Campanella"), the "Romance" sung by Dinorah's lover Hoël in Act 3, and the "Pilgrims' Chorus" sung in the finale (reportedly performed at Meyerbeer's funeral) appear in waltz rhythm. In the middle section, Dinorah's Act 2 aria "Ombre légère" (Shadow Song), the only part of this opera still commonly performed today, makes an appearance. The piece concludes with a coda that increases in tempo, featuring motifs from the "Pilgrims' Chorus" and the concluding section of the overture.

From Meyerbeer: Opera "Le pardon de Ploërmel"

• Hunter's Song

• Lullaby

• Goat's Theme

• Hoël's Romance

• Pilgrims' Chorus 

• Shadow Song

• Overture's Concluding Section

From Burgmüller: Grand Salon Waltz on Themes from "Le pardon de Ploërmel"

• Beginning

• Main Waltz Section

• Concluding Section