Nicholas Tarlingampamprsquos Orientalism and the Operatic World places opera in the context of its steady globalization over the last two centuries offering key insights into such notable operas as George Frederic Handelampamprsquos Berenice Giuseppe Verdiampamprsquos Aida Giacomo Pucciniampamprsquos MadamaButterfly Pietro Mascagniampamprsquos Iris and others. Orientalism and the Operatic World argues that any close study of the history of Western opera in the end fails to support notion propounded by literary scholar Edward Said that the Westerners inevitably stereotyped dehumanized and ultimately sought only to dominate the East through art. Instead Tarling argues that opera is a humanizing art one that emphasizes what humanity has in common by epic depictions of passion through the vehicle of song.