This volume contains all the arias and scenes composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully to Italian texts, for dessus (soprano), haute-contre (high tenor) or bass, including solos, duets and trios. Rather comic in character, with a few exceptions, these pieces are taken from the ballets and comédies-ballet that Lully composed for Mazarin, for the marriage of Louis XIV or for the court, before devoting himself entirely to Tragédies en musique.

In vocal score, this volume completes the three volumes of French arias by Jean-Baptiste Lully (Airs d'opéra for dessus, for haute-contre and taille, and for basse-taille and basse). They provide an excellent opportunity to familiarise oneself with the French style of the 17th century, without the specific problems of the language’s nasal vowels. Together with Campra’s collection of Italian arias, this is a renewed source of duets and trios for staging. The texts are translated into French and English.