BOSTON—“Absolutely wonderful. I thought the dancers were terrific, the singers. The costumes were fantastic. It was a beautiful evening.”
Rep. Lynch, of the 9th Congressional District, attended the show with his wife and daughter and her young cousin. He had this to say about the performance’s spiritual message: “Well, I think it’s very important. I think it’s a great message. I think it’s a wonderful opportunity, especially for Chinese Americans,” said Rep. Lynch.
The congressman agreed that the show gives the audience an opportunity to experience real Chinese culture. “I think it’s very traditional and offers a lot to people who are not familiar with traditional Chinese culture, putting politics aside and seeing the real spirit of China and Chinese culture,” he said.
The Boston performance was attended by individuals from many ethnic groups. Congressman Lynch expressed his appreciation for diversity and especially the celebrations of the Chinese community.
“Chinese New Year is the highlight of the Chinese calendar. … It’s been one of those traditions that Chinese Americans have kept strong here in the United States. It’s been a wonderful gift to all of us. It allows us to really understand Chinese culture.” He said it was a wonderful opportunity for his daughter, her cousin, and those not familiar with Chinese culture to get a chance to experience that.
Divine Performing Arts is in the midst of its 2009 World Tour to the acclaim of audiences everywhere. When asked about the show and Divine Performing Arts’ contribution in reviving traditional Chinese culture, Rep. Lynch said: “It’s fantastic. It’s irreplaceable. It’s so important to keep tradition alive and I see a lot of younger Chinese families here.”
With a growing community of Chinese concentrated in greater Boston, Congressman Lynch noted that the show revitalizes Chinese culture for Chinese in the local area. “I’m sure it provides a connection with their culture and their families. It’s a wonderful way to present it. It was very beautiful. They’ve done a wonderful job, professionally done.”
Rep. Lynch, in talking about the cultural aspects of the performance, said: “There is a lot of pride here, pride in Chinese tradition. It’s wonderful to see. There is every reason to be proud. It provides a connection between this country and China, not just for Chinese Americans, but all of us, I think.”
Rep. Lynch agreed that, unlike the atheism of the Chinese Communist Party, traditional Chinese culture is imbued with the divine: “That’s right. And freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom to worship. That was presented over and over in many stories about the spirituality of traditional China.”
Part of a cultural renaissance in downtown Boston, the Opera House underwent extensive repairs and reopened in July 2004. Rep. Lynch was a State Senator during the refurbishing of the Boston Opera House. “The last time I was here,” he said, “the rain was coming in. There was a hole in the roof. The mayor [Thomas Menino] has done a wonderful job repairing this beautiful Opera House. Really, it’s a perfect setting for this production. It’s absolutely fantastic.”
And finally, Rep. Lynch added that this performance teaches about culture and the stories behind the dances. “It’s enriching,” he said. “It’s been fantastic and my girls and my wife are enjoying it as well. We are delighted to be here.”
U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, elected to Congress in 1991, co-chairs the House Task Force on Terrorism and Proliferation Financing, a bipartisan Congressional panel that monitors the status of national and international efforts to track and stop the flow of funds to terrorist groups and works to strengthen our national anti-terrorist finance strategy.
