In Conversation with Benedetta Tagliabue with a performance by Roberto Cacciapaglia

Join the Presiding Officer in conversation with Benedetta Tagliabue, architect, partner and widow of the visionary creative Enric Miralles, who along with their own EMBT and fellow Scottish architectural company, RMJM, designed the Scottish Parliament building. This event will also feature excerpts from the opera ‘Mai per Atzar’ (Never by Chance) originally staged by Valerio Ferrari and Roberto Cacciapaglia for the inauguration of the EMBT studio in Barcelona in 1997. The excerpts from the original opera, together with music from his repertoire in honour of Enric Miralles, will be performed by the world leading composer and pianist Roberto Cacciapaglia in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament. Join us for this unique celebration of creativity. 

Relevant books on this topic are available to order and collect from our online shop (with a 10% discount).

Panellists:

Benedetta Tagliabue is an internationally renowned architect. She is the co-founder with Enric Miralles (1955–2000) of EMBT Architects, as well as the founder and president of the Fundació Enric Miralles. She is known for iconic works like the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh, 2004; the Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona, 2005; and the Spanish Pavilion for Expo Shanghai 2010. Recent works include Ferrara's San Giacomo Apóstolo Church, 2019 and Kálida Sant Pau Centre – part of Maggie's Centre Network in Barcelona 2019. Benedetta also leads many on-going projects worldwide. Benedetta is a visiting professor at Harvard, Columbia, Yale, and ETSAB and serves on prestigious international award juries. She has received several awards, including the RIBA Stirling and National Spanish prizes.

Roberto Cacciapaglia is an Italian composer and pianist, based in Milan. He received his diploma in composition under the guidance of Bruno Bettinelli at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory of Milan. His studies also focused on electronic music and conducting. He worked at the RAI’s Studio of Musical Phonology and collaborated with the National Research Council (CNR) of Pisa, studying computer applications in the field of music. He is a leading protagonist in the field of innovative music and his style integrates the classical tradition with electronic experimentalism. His work includes albums and concerts with international orchestras including the - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Teatro alla Scala Academy Orchestra; and Moscow Imperial Orchestra, Carnegie Hall - New York. He also composed ‘Tree of Life’, soundtrack for the Tree of Life Night Show in EXPO 2015 Milano. In 2023, Roberto received the Montale Award in Milan for his music. In 2024 he performed the world premiere of, Incipit / Moz-Art K.488 ReCompose, at the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh.

Born in Milan, Italy, Valerio Ferrari holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Milan Polytechnic. In 2003, he founded VCMF Architectural Practice, with studios in Paris and Milan. Collaborating with director Piero Faggioni, he has staged operas at iconic venues like Teatro alla Scala and the Metropolitan Opera. He taught aesthetics seminars at Milan Polytechnic for four years. Additionally, he spent over five years in China, leading the international department for Yuandao Group in Chongqing, enhancing his global architectural impact. He wrote five librettos for contemporary music. Inspired by these experiences, he began developing the Vision Music Facilities Theatre, a new typology of highly functional, technologically advanced pod arenas, still in progress.

Interpreters: Megan Frickleton and Jenny Laird