Scarlatti's World

Lisbon 4-7 September 2025

Scarlatti's World 2025 was an international academic gathering dedicated to exploring the life, works, and cultural legacy of Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti, bringing together specialists in musicology, history, and performance.
The CEM was proud to contribute to the organisation of this exceptional international symposium, co-organising the opening day at the National Palace of Mafra with Divino Sospiro.

This event was also part of the CEM’s Via Scarlatti programme.

Over four days, in the historic settings of the Real Edifício de Mafra and the Biblioteca da Ajuda in Lisbon, distinguished scholars and musicians from across Europe and beyond presented new research, debated performance practices, and unveiled fresh archival discoveries. The programme combined keynote lectures, thematic sessions, and round tables, enriched with film screenings and convivial gatherings, offering a full immersion into the Scarlatti universe and its broader historical context. The sessions addressed themes ranging from manuscript sources and compositional techniques to opera in early 18th-century Rome, as well as the reception of their music in Portugal, Spain, and England.

Highlights included a keynote lecture on Domenico Scarlatti’s correspondence, thematic panels on music diplomacy, pedagogy, and interpretation, as well as the Portuguese premiere of Jean Rousselot’s documentary Carmen, Birth of a Myth, co-produced by Arte, Andaman Film, and the CEM. This screening underscored the vital importance of transmitting knowledge of our European musical heritage to the public and to younger generations through such audiovisual tools and resources.