Ancient Airs and Dances for Lute is a collection of free transcriptions of lute pieces from the 16th and 17th centuries by Ottorino Respighi, who organized the pieces into three suites for various orchestral ensembles. 1917 Respighi completed the First Suite, the Second Suite in 1923, and the Third Suite in 1931. His wife Elsa compiled and published all of them in 1937.
In an original arrangement, the Bologna ensemble strives to reproduce all the orchestral colors envisioned by Respighi. The aim is to create a fascinating synthesis between ensuring the presence of instruments essential to Respighi, such as the harp and harpsichord, and seeking a new and modern sound by incorporating the accordion and tuba.

The Orchestra del Baraccano was founded in 2013 as part of the activities of the Teatro del Baraccano in Bologna under the artistic direction of Giambattista Giocoli. The orchestra aims to perform musical works composed initially for large orchestras as a chamber ensemble. Over the years, the orchestra has produced numerous performances independently and in collaboration with institutions such as the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, BSMT Productions, and the University of Bologna.
Some notable productions include Igor Stravinsky's Histoire du Soldat, Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd, the project All'Opera! featuring symphonies, interludes, and overtures of Italian Opera and Mahler's Fourth Symphony arranged for a chamber orchestra.
In 2017, the orchestra produced Popular Songs with soloist Cristina Zavalloni, a new Histoire du Soldat featuring the acting voice of Ivano Marescotti, and the work Il Barbiere a Fumetti in collaboration with Japanese artist Tsukishiro Yuko. The RESPIGHI project, dedicated to Italian composer Ottorino Respighi, was launched in 2021. With the Respighi Suite, the orchestra toured in the Czech Republic and Poland in 2022 and Hungary in 2023. At the 70th Split Summer Festival, the orchestra will perform for the Split audience for the first time.