BOOKS

the good, the bad, and sometimes outsiders, and fit into some kind world of the poor to the realm of quality: was it even very good to keeping the US out of the war. Dutch East Indies, Malaya and the ugly. In its efforts to promote of framework is self-evident. But books, paintings and theatres. begin with, or is he caught too But two months, June and Burma is a well-known story, but Rise in the East, its message through state-directed as Barr shows, we’re going to That transfer necessitated “a late? Moreschi was certainly not December, transformed the Mawdsley’s account is television, radio and printed have to think harder and longer to very particular and brutal kind of an international star alla strategic situation. On 22 June, authoritative, invigorated by new media, China has invested billions get to a more truthful sacrifice”, the details shrouded in Tenducci, although he exasperated Germany launched Operation perspectives and contextualised in – much of it copying what is done understanding than the one that mystery. The Church and its Vatican officials with airs, graces Barbarossa, the invasion of the great themes: the end of empires, fears in the West by the West. Whether the Xinhua exists at the moment, where too princes claimed no knowledge of and quixotic cancellations. Soviet Union, and on 7 December the dawn of American might, and news agency or Chinese Central much discussion is polarised, or the procedure, yet proved willing Moreover, students of the voice aircraft from Japanese carriers the struggle for supremacy in Television will crack an hedged in by defensiveness and to taste of its fruits. Frenchmen vary widely in their assessments – attacked the US naval base of South East Asia. Kerry Brown agrees it will take time for mutual international market in the way vested interest. and Spaniards blamed Italians; just as they did of course during Pearl Harbor. It is the first 12 days Important questions as to the BBC or CNN have done is not how then to account for French the 18th century. Nevertheless, we of the 12th month that are the motivations and war aims hang understanding as China engages with the world yet known – but there is no Kerry Brown is senior Fellow in and Spanish castrati? The are reminded of the partial nature subject of Evan Mawdsley’s study. over any account of Japan’s entry denying the resources being the Asia Programme, Chatham celebrated musical traveller, of evidence, and the role The die had already been cast into the Second World War. chucked into the attempt. In his House. Charles Burney, “was told at imagination can and must play. If when the Imperial Conference consideration of the Confucius Milan” that the operation took Tenducci’s voice “has been took place at the Imperial Palace Institutes, Barr plots the line place “at Venice; at Venice that it difficult, but not impossible, to in Tokyo on 1 December, for Mawdsley is authoritative... between their function as entities was at Bologna”, and so on. For recover across the centuries”, Japanese troops and ships had, for the end of empires, the to teach the Mandarin language the English, needless to say, the castrati and their histories remind several weeks, been moving into to the vast numbers who now practice was a cruel offshoot of us that voices may mislead. the positions from which they dawn of American might, and want to speak Chinese, and the Popery and absolutism, yet they Proponents of the recent would strike. The statesmen, the struggle for supremacy less easily describable job imputed happily sampled the proffered “authenticity” craze – so-called generals and admirals of Japan to them, namely to propagate exoticism and vocal fireworks as period instruments and met to ratify rather than make the in South East Asia important messages on behalf of relief from those provided by performance styles – might decision to begin war against the the Chinese party state as it tries Bedlam. nevertheless do well to listen. US, the British Empire, and the Alternative options were open to to enlist supporters abroad. In Following the operation, headless colonies of a Netherlands Japan, Germany and the US. their constitutions, Confucius “happily executed” by an Mark Berry is lecturer in music, occupied by Germany. They did Instead of going south, Japan Institutes contain stipulations that itinerant barber-surgeon, Tenducci Royal Holloway, University of so in what they saw as the could have gone north, a course work done with them must accord headed from Siena to a London. interests of the Japanese Empire, long favoured by the army, and with central office principles, and Neapolitan conservatoire, where whose very survival they felt was attacked the Soviet Union from that simple legal request is he was invested by a priest at imperilled, and in the name of Manchuria at a time when probably the greatest source of confession and Mass. He their emperor, whom Mawdsley German troops were deep in suspicion about them. The Castrato and His Wife subsequently built a starry career describes as sitting “silent Soviet territory, but Hitler gave The central Chinese state is not By Helen Berry across Europe, taking in debt, throughout, on a raised seat the Japanese no encouragement to a coherent, unified actor, and Oxford University Press scandal and imprisonment, as well before a gold screen”, although he do so. Roosevelt’s actions, China itself is a society in ferment, 312pp, £16.99 as powerful patronage, the title of nodded in agreement to each particularly the economic as Barr shows in discussions of ISBN 9780199569816 Count Palatine, and acquaintance explanation for the momentous sanctions he placed on Japan, some of the views of racial issues Published 22 September 2011 with Thomas Arne, Johann decision. raise the question of whether internally. Blogs and other social Christian Bach and Mozart. The events of the next 11 days he manoeuvred Japan into media, despite operating under he Castrato and His Wife There is much of interest here are described in exhaustive detail attacking the US as part of a restrictions, give a map of the opens with a brief sketch of a in terms of gender relations: in what constitutes a brilliant strategy that would enable him complexity of what could be Tdocumented evening at the masculinity (or not), of course, exercise in military history. After to bring a reluctant America into called Chinese public views and London residence of the Spanish but also the “quasi-dynastic” trawling through many archives the European war. And why, thinking. As he argues, to try to Ambassador, with the famed support afforded from elder to and consulting numerous having obliged Roosevelt by Who’s Afraid of China? The Challenge Chinese government had to think sum this up as some vast, unified Farinelli (Carlo Broschi) the prime younger singers in the absence of monographs and articles, declaring war on the US, did of Chinese Soft Power a little deeper about its projection strategy to slowly bend the will of attraction, and it then switches to biological fatherhood, and the Mawdsley has managed not only Germany never seek to coordinate By Michael Barr of cultural power and influence the rest of the world to China’s another event in 1735, the birth possibility of extramarital affairs December 1941 to assemble the facts about each its war with Japan’s? Mawdsley Zed Books beyond its borders. strategic advantage would be to of Giusto Ferdinando Tenducci, for unhappy wives, which By Evan Mawdsley fighting unit, both Allied and provides fascinating information 160pp, £70.00 and £16.99 Michael Barr rightly spends the misunderstand the fact that what with the proviso that we know provided “a loophole in the Yale University Press, 336pp, £25.00 Japanese, their chains of on Roosevelt’s policies and ISBN 9781848135895 and 135901 first part of this concise overview we are really witnessing is a nothing about that, save that it sexual double standard”. ISBN 9780300154450 command and their strengths, but decisions, but devotes far less Published 8 September 2011 of China’s efforts in this area moment of intense cultural and happened. Tenducci for his part refused to Published 30 November 2011 to utilise them for an account of space to the lack of coordination trying to nail down what, exactly, intellectual engagement between It is refreshing to see a accept that his “impediment” naval and army operations that is between the Axis partners than ne of the fascinating aspects soft power is. The celebrated multiple actors, inside and outside historian move so comfortably precluded romantic heterosexual t was the year that marked the fresh and vivid. He maintains a this intriguing subject surely of China’s hosting of the Joseph Nye definition is more the country, in trying to make beyond written texts to embrace entanglement, leading to turning point of the Second close focus on the events that led warrants. O2008 Olympics was the useful now for saying what it isn’t sense of what China is, what its visual evidence (Gainsborough, elopement, marriage, trial and IWorld War and shaped the to the new theatre of the war and What is undeniable is that the feeling that, for the country’s – the use of coercion and force. development means to the world, for instance, and engravings too) annulment – the latter much to post-war world. 1941 began on Japan’s military operations, events of early December 1941, political elite at least, this was a But finding a replacement for the and, more recently, what the and the world of mentalités . the relief of the Protestant with Germany victorious in while not losing sight of which this book describes so well, chance for the world to look at its sinister terms of propaganda or world really means to China. Although Helen Berry claims also Ascendancy family of his bride, western Europe and challenged developments in the war in brought the world’s most achievements over the three country marketing has proved That this is happening at a time to have consulted musical scores, Dorothea Maunsell. Berry proves only by a Britain that was bereft, Europe. Indeed, a strength of this powerful economy and a nation decades since reform, and express more difficult. And as Barr says, when Western (for which read it remains unclear in what respect. a diverting guide in piecing after the fall of France, of a book is the discussion of events with enormous military potential some appreciation. We now know this is not helped by the fact that European and North America) No matter: this is a work of social together a narrative from sources continental ally. Churchill on Germany’s eastern front – into the war on Britain’s side. much of that went wrong. The most of the time when people in confidence has been economically and cultural history, not and – unavoidably, given their remained defiant, but any hope of where Barbarossa was already Britain was soon to experience Olympics were efficiently various communities outside dented and is now undergoing its musicology. (Repeated references partial nature – speculation. victory seemed dependent on the faltering in the face of the humiliating defeats in the Far managed and contained some China talk about what the own crisis of faith has only made to a favoured title role, that of Tantalisingly – perhaps an scenario of Britain finding a new unexpected capacity for recovery East, but on the evening of 7 great sporting moments. But the country’s rise means, they are things more complex. China- Gluck’s Orpheo conflate Italian unfortunate word in this context – “continental sword” in the shape displayed by Soviet forces – in December, his hopes of new allies build-up to the event, with revealing more about their own bashing in the US, and fears of an Orfeo and French Orphée – the recordings from 1902-03 feature of the Soviet Union, and an entry parallel with Japan’s operations in having been fulfilled, Churchill, fractious torch ceremonies held fears and preoccupations than ominous Chinese reach latter a tenor version.) Nor is it a the “last castrato”, Alessandro into the war by the US. Neither the Pacific. on going to bed, “slept the sleep across the world, showed that that of the country they are throughout the internet via biography; perhaps we should Moreschi, musical director of the seemed likely, as the pact between The overwhelming success of of the saved and thankful”. whatever feelings China might supposedly talking about. espionage, speak to an earlier era think of it as an extended Sistine Choir. They remain objects Germany and the USSR appeared Japanese forces at the beginning arouse in the outside world, they There are things we know, and of the fear of a “yellow peril”. historical sketch, musing on of controversy, not only thanks to firm and Franklin D. Roosevelt of the war in the Far East in their A. W. Purdue is visiting professor were not straightforward. in separate chapters Barr covers That China’s rise has to mean Tenducci’s transfer from the poor recording quality, but also had just won a presidential attacks on Hawaii, the in history, University of $40 billion (£25 billion) later, the these, with up-to-date examples of something, for insiders and anonymous, barely documented concerning Moreschi’s vocal election on a platform of Philippines, Hong Kong, the Northumbria. 52 Times Higher Education XX Month XXXX XX Month XXXX Times Higher Education 53