‘Le Cid’ is an opera in four acts and ten tableaux by Jules Massenet based on the play of the same name by Pierre Corneille. It was first performed by a star-studded cast at the Paris Opéra on 30 November 1885.

While ‘Le Cid’ is not in the standard operatic repertory, the ballet suite is a popular concert and recording piece which includes dances from different regions of Spain. One of these dances is the ‘Navarraise’ which opens with sharp, percussive accompaniment and leads into an energet...