MELBOURNE, Australia—Melbourne Australia's motto 'Vires acquirit eundo' (we gather strength as we go) might well belong to the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular as it blazed into Melbourne for its premier night in Australia.
Divine Performing Arts' global tour has gained momentum after sell out shows through Europe the US, and more recently Taiwan and Korea.
"That was certainly spectacular", "very impressive", and "truly amazing" were just some of the comments the Melbourne audience made about the Australian premier at Melbourne's Arts Centre State Theatre, Friday March 28.
"I am loving the different performances, the range of the timings and the stories in the performances," Dr Paul Monk said.
"I think one new thing about it, what was it called "The Risen Lotus" one it was from almost a moral psychological point of view, that touched me most"
Dr. Monk, an author, a specialist in international relations and a keen poet, was referring to a contemporary scene in the show depicting Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in China
"Many others [scenes] of course are beautifully done, the choreography's great etc but the stories, that one goes to the heart of what the issue really is—people being beaten for their beliefs."
Melburnians filled the State Theatre from the ground-level stalls to the rafters, in order to experience the show.
The State, which will host the Spectacular for a further three shows, is home to the Melbourne-based Australian Ballet, the Melbourne Theatre Company, and a touring Opera Australia, It has one of the largest stages in the world and is noted for its unusual ceiling, which is decorated with 75,000 tiny brass domes.
Melbourne, with a population of 3.4 million people, is Australia's second most populous city and is the capital of Australia's south-eastern state, Victoria.
It has a long held belief in the importance of the arts and creative expression. Melbourne is also considered by many to be Australia's cultural capital, and its rating by The Economist magazine as one of the world's most liveable cities was partly based on its cultural attributions.
For information about upcoming Divine Performing Arts shows, please visit: www.DivinePerformingArts.org.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese Spectacular. For our complete coverage please visit: http://en.epochtimes.com/features/dpa2008/
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