What Italians call 'la lirica' often simply means 'opera' in English, but in relation to the works on the present recording translates quite literally as 'lyrics', a genre of which Ottorino Respighi was particularly fond throughout his career, whether the minimal sort for just voice and piano or the larger-scale version for voice and orchestra.The present recording comprises lyrics Respighi produced as mature composer between 1914 and 1920, a time when his orchestral works too were very popular. Marta Moretto studied with Magda Olivero and is a regular at La Fenice and other Italian theatres, specialising in Verdi mezzo rôles.