BRISBANE, Australia—Shen Yun Performing Arts revealed a whole new world of artistry to lecturer in antiques, Paul Waite, at the Lyric Theatre during Friday night’s opening show on Feb. 1.
The New York-based company attracts many people with artistic interests, and Mr. Waite has supported the arts for a long time.
“I’ve been coming to the Lyric Theatre for many years,” Mr. Waite said, adding that he has also been a patron of The Australian Ballet for a long time. “And tonight was a very special night.”
Shen Yun, the world’s premier traditional Chinese music and dance company, aims to present classical Chinese dance and hundreds of handmade costumes that complement backdrops depicting celestial palaces, vistas of grasslands, and sacred spots, according to its website.
For the last nine years, Mr. Waite has shared his knowledge with a cruise company, that takes onboard antique porcelain and silver jewellery to educate passengers about antiques.
With his love for the arts, Mr. Waite expressed how he felt after the performance: “I thought the Shen Yun show was absolutely beautiful, authentic, traditional. I thought the choreography was superb, I thought the costumes were exquisite, and I thought the timing was exceptional.”
“When you get that many people onstage—doesn’t matter what show it is—to have them dance and coordinate with the ribbons, the objects that they use so beautifully; it’s a wonderful experience!”
Through Shen Yun, the true essence of China’s 5,000-year-old civilization is being shared with audiences around the world.
“One thing I didn’t know—and I’ve seen lots of show around the whole world—was brought to our attention tonight: a great deal of the show is actually very traditional,” Mr. Waite continued. “… And I think anybody in this world that sees this show will come away a much more enriched person, because it’s so different to many things.”
Mr. Waite, who is from the Gold Coast, was delighted that Shen Yun is visiting Brisbane, even after seeing so many other shows.
“But this is so different! And I would recommend it to anybody in the world who gets a chance to see it. It is one of the moments in my life.”
The heartfelt reactions of people like Mr. Waite to the show are helping Shen Yun’s mission of cultural revival to come to fruition.
“If you can talk about a show like this, the way it’s coming from my heart as a ticket holder, not just someone who has been asked to come up and say something, it’s from my heart! I had a wonderful evening, a wonderful evening!”
Reporting by NTD Television and Janine Rankin.
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, tours the world on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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