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Italian Baroque composer renowned as one of the most important founders of the Neapolitan school of opera and a prolific master of vocal music.Born in Palermo, Sicily, Scarlatti emerged as a dominant figure in Italian music. He served as maestro di cappella for Queen Christina of Sweden in Rome and later held prestigious positions at the viceregal court in Naples. Prolific beyond measure, he composed over 100 operas, 700 cantatas, numerous oratorios, masses, and instrumental works. He is credited with formalizing the structure of the Italian overture (sinfonia) and the da capo aria, significantly shaping the development of opera seria and late Baroque style. His influence extended directly to his famous son, Domenico Scarlatti.

• His tenure in Naples ended abruptly in 1702 after a serious conflict with the Viceroy, forcing him to seek patronage elsewhere, including Florence and Rome, before eventually returning to Naples in 1708.
• Despite his immense productivity and influence, Scarlatti faced financial difficulties throughout much of his later career, struggling to secure stable patronage comparable to his earlier positions.
• He died in Naples in 1725, reportedly from complications related to scurvy, a common ailment at the time often linked to poor nutrition.