1
  Of, relating to, or having the character of a recital or recitation.
2 Music
   a. In an opera, recitative is words that are sung as if they are
       being spoken.   NONCOUNT N

Italian serious opera of the 18th and early 19th century exhibited a
rigid separation of aria and recitative.

   b. A passage rendered in this style. Also called recitativo.   COUNT N

In the production, the recitatives are eliminated and replaced with much
crisper spoken dialogue.

1
  A recital is a detailed description of something or a list of things.

She gave us a long, boring recital of all her troubles.