SAN FRANCISCO—Education entrepreneur Don Leisey said there was a lot of publicity about Shen Yun Performing Arts before their final show at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House on Sunday, Jan. 8.
The New York-based company’s mission is to revive five millennia of ancient Chinese culture through classical Chinese and ethnic dance, orchestral music, and opera singing.
When he finally saw the performance, Mr. Leisey was not at all disappointed. “It had a lot of hype coming in, so my expectations were very high,” he said. “They’ve been fulfilled.”
Mr. Leisey has also worked as a teacher, superintendent, and owner of private schools. He saw Shen Yun’s New York Company performing, and said he particularly enjoyed the dancing and the animated backgrounds.
“It’s just extremely well done. I couldn’t ask for anything more,” he said. “It’s a great show.”
According to Shen Yun’s website, the hi-tech backdrops transport the audience to another world. Projected behind the dancers, the images lift the stage and set it amid wonderful scenes, such as blossoming landscapes, deep forests, Mongolian prairies, or celestial paradises.
In addition to being “very professional, very entertaining,” Mr. Leisey said that Shen Yun gives the audience “a glimpse of history.”
Reporting by Gary Wang and Evan Mantyk.
Shen Yun’s New York Company will continue on to Costa Mesa and then Los Angeles, starting Jan. 11. Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3WTKCEA4tE[/video]
