Musicology Annotation << Back The Operas of Alessandro Scarlatti and «the dispute about the ancients and the moderns» Elena I. Luchina The article discusses the correlation of the implication of the late XVIIth – early XVIIIth centuries operas of Alessandro Scarlatti with the aesthetic polemic of that time, including one of its most representative aspects – «the dispute about the ancients and the moderns». The author of the article analyzes the texts of the libretti by Silvio Stampiglia in comic scenes of A. Scarlatti’s operas «La Caduta de’Decemviri» and «L’Eraclea» and discovers their veiled aesthetic sense and, moreover, – reveals the veiled essence of comedic characters in «L’Eraclea» as the personifi cation of the contrary aesthetic (and stylistic) positions. The article also examines the changes taking place in the perception of the creativity and the style of Alessandro Scarlatti from the turn of XVIIth–XVIIIth ages before the beginning of the XXIst century, adduces statements about music of Scarlatti of a number of composers, theorists, writers of the XVIIIth–XIXth centuries, notes the features of the historical identifi cation of creativity Scarlatti by the scientists of XXth – beginning of XXIst century. As a result of the study, the author shows, how a kind of the «dispute about the ancients and the moderns» occurs around the name of A. Scarlatti and his creations. In this way, in the article the features of the historical position of Scarlatti and his signifi cance for the immanent processes of musical art are revealed. Keywords: «the dispute about the ancients and the moderns», Gallant style, grace, stylus gravis, «La Caduta de’ Decemviri», «L’Eraclea», libretti by S. Stampiglia, Operas of A. Scarlatti, comedy scenes, Baroque Italian opera-tragicomedy, Scarlatti and the Gallant style, Scarlatti and the «learned» style, Scarlatti and the late baroque, Scarlatti and the XVIIIth century, the different historical periods in the perception of A. Scarlatti’s style and creativity, the discussion about Scarlatti’s historical position. Contacts: E-mail: lei57@yandex.ru Pp. 10-20.