AUSTIN, Texas—“So amazing. The athleticism was awesome,” said Elizabeth Campbelo, who saw Shen Yun Performing Arts with Rick Ingoraham, a business owner, at Austin’s The Long Center for the Performing Arts on April 12.
“And the beauty—it was very beautiful, it’s really beautiful, and I never experience anything like it,” she said.
“Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired,” reads the Shen Yun website.
“It was interesting for me, I never had the opportunity to learn that before and expose to it, so I like the way it was presented, as well, through dance and beauty,” Ms. Campbelo added.
A Shen Yun performance features the world’s foremost classically trained dancers, a unique orchestra blending East and West, and dazzling animated backdrops—together creating one spectacular performance.
Along with the beauty that permeates the entire show, Ms. Campbelo said she was also impressed by Shen Yun’s world-class musicians and musical arrangements.
“It was neat, very talented as the performers on the stage—the musicians,” she said. “So it was really nice.”
“The songs were beautiful,” Mr. Ingoraham added. “Of course, we couldn’t understand the words, but you can get the meaning. And I like the fact they had English translation on the screen, so that was helpful.”
Shen Yun’s world-class vocalists sing in the highly technical bel canto style while also maintaining proper Chinese pronunciation and diction. Today, their ability to perform in this manner is unparalleled by any other performing arts company.
Mr. Ingoraham was also moved by Shen Yun’s digital-backdrop, which extends the stage and transports the audience to a world where heaven and earth are one.
“I love the way they integrated the backdrop into real people on stage—very high tech,” he said. “It’s believable.”
Mr. Ingoraham concluded that he was “absolutely” entertained by the performance. “It was exactly what I paid for. It was two-and-half hours of something that I have never done before and enjoyed it very much.”
Reporting by Lily Setoh and Michael Fitzgerald
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
