Alessandro Scarlatti, born Pietro Alessandro Gaspare Scarlatti on May 2, 1660, in either Palermo or Trapani, Sicily, was a seminal Italian Baroque composer. He passed away on October 22, 1725, in Naples. Scarlatti is renowned for his operas and chamber cantatas and is considered the most significant figure of the Neapolitan school of opera. Often referred to as "the Italian Orpheus," he was a pivotal influence on the development of the Da capo aria and the Italian overture, which were instrumental in the evolution of the symphony and modern string quartet. His career was primarily based in Naples and Rome, where he composed a substantial body of work for the papal city.

Scarlatti's early education in Rome, likely under Giacomo Carissimi, and his connections with northern Italian composers such as Stradella and Legrenzi, shaped his musical style. His first opera, "Gli equivoci nel sembiante" (1679), gained him the patronage of Queen Christina of Sweden. By 1684, he was the maestro di cappella to the viceroy of Naples, where he produced numerous operas notable for their fluency and expressiveness.

In 1702, Scarlatti left Naples, spending time in Florence under the patronage of Ferdinando de' Medici and later in Rome under Cardinal Ottoboni. He returned to Naples in 1708, where he continued to compose operas, serenades, and religious works. His influence extended to prominent composers like Handel, and his thematic development and chromatic harmony anticipated the work of later composers such as Mozart and Schubert.

Scarlatti was the father of ten children, including the famous composer Domenico Scarlatti. Despite his prominence, he often faced financial difficulties, which drove him to compose prolifically, especially in the genre of chamber cantatas. His legacy includes over 60 dramatic works and more than 600 chamber cantatas, marking him as one of the most prolific composers of the Baroque era. His work laid the groundwork for the international spread of the Neapolitan repertoire, influencing generations of composers to come.