PHOENIX, Ariz.-Singer Tammy Ward was among the audience members mesmerized by Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company at the Orpheum Theatre on Feb. 15.
“This is what I envision Heaven to be. It is almost surreal. It’s so beautiful. It’s spiritual. It’s one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Ms. Ward said after the performance.
Watching the performance, she said Shen Yun brings peace to her heart and gives her a chance to dream.
Independent and non-profit, Shen Yun Performing Arts was founded by a group of overseas, leading Chinese artists in New York. Its mission is to revive China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture that has been all but lost under the current atheist communist regime in China.
“Sophisticated dance techniques, an orchestra joining instruments from both the East and West, beautiful costumes, and a stunning backdrop—this is Shen Yun at first glance. But digging deeper, one discovers a sea of traditional Chinese culture. Mortals and divine beings merge on stage as one. Principles such as benevolence and justice, propriety and wisdom, respect for the heavens, and divine retribution, all come to life, washing over the audience,” according to the Shen Yun website.
Ms. Ward was inspired by the spirituality of traditional Chinese culture demonstrated throughout the performance. While most of the approximately 20 vignettes are composed of classical Chinese dance as well as ethnic and folk dance, three pieces include vocal soloists using the bel canto technique.
As each of the singers perform, song lyrics appear on the digital, state-of-the-art backdrop in both English and Chinese which, according to Shen Yun’s website, are “brimming with philosophical reflection.”
“I got the message loud and clear. The spiritual message is to be true to whatever higher power you believe in, and not to be swayed by all the negativity in the world,” she said.
