PORTLAND, Oregon—At the Keller Auditorium in Portland, the “Green City of Roses,” sat a packed house before Shen Yun Performing Arts’ debut show of its 2010 program on Saturday night.
After being treated with classical Chinese dance and a live orchestra of both Chinese and Western instruments, Martha Shackford, a 40-year private violin studio owner, and her sister Mary Welch, were still in the show mood during the intermission, trying to recall and share on what they just saw.
“I like the show very much. I think it’s excellent, very beautiful, interesting, lots of variety, and extremely talented people participating. I’m impressed with everybody—the singers, the musicians, the dancers were amazing,” said Ms. Shackford, also a volunteer violin teacher at a public school.
As a musician herself, she particularly noted the Shen Yun International Company Orchestra.
“I think [the orchestra is] very good. … I was very impressed with how well Chinese music goes with violin. Violin’s a beautiful instrument to play traditional Chinese music. I think they did it very well,” she said.
Aside from being exposed to a unique Chinese show, the duo also had something else to celebrate. It was Ms. Welch’s birthday and the show was her gift to herself.
“I love it. I couldn’t think of anything else I’d rather do,” said Ms. Welch.
“It was her idea to spend her birthday this way,” Ms. Shackford added.
Like her sister, Ms. Welch was also mesmerized by the show.
She was impressed by “the contrast between the very, very feminine and elegant and soft and gentle and then the very masculine, and the strength.”
“It’s [a] wonderful, wonderful balance,” said Ms. Welch.
Aside from the beautiful movements and challenging tumbles, the sisters were also exposed to something deeper.
Prior to the interview, the sisters said they were discussing the program, Nothing Can Block the Divine Path, which depicts a family persecuted, in contemporary China, for their spiritual belief of Falun Gong but rewarded by the heavens in the end.
“It’s a very positive statement,” Ms. Shackford said.
Ms. Shackford said that she would like to recommend the show to her friends.
For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
After being treated with classical Chinese dance and a live orchestra of both Chinese and Western instruments, Martha Shackford, a 40-year private violin studio owner, and her sister Mary Welch, were still in the show mood during the intermission, trying to recall and share on what they just saw.
“I like the show very much. I think it’s excellent, very beautiful, interesting, lots of variety, and extremely talented people participating. I’m impressed with everybody—the singers, the musicians, the dancers were amazing,” said Ms. Shackford, also a volunteer violin teacher at a public school.
As a musician herself, she particularly noted the Shen Yun International Company Orchestra.
“I think [the orchestra is] very good. … I was very impressed with how well Chinese music goes with violin. Violin’s a beautiful instrument to play traditional Chinese music. I think they did it very well,” she said.
Aside from being exposed to a unique Chinese show, the duo also had something else to celebrate. It was Ms. Welch’s birthday and the show was her gift to herself.
“I love it. I couldn’t think of anything else I’d rather do,” said Ms. Welch.
“It was her idea to spend her birthday this way,” Ms. Shackford added.
Like her sister, Ms. Welch was also mesmerized by the show.
She was impressed by “the contrast between the very, very feminine and elegant and soft and gentle and then the very masculine, and the strength.”
“It’s [a] wonderful, wonderful balance,” said Ms. Welch.
Aside from the beautiful movements and challenging tumbles, the sisters were also exposed to something deeper.
Prior to the interview, the sisters said they were discussing the program, Nothing Can Block the Divine Path, which depicts a family persecuted, in contemporary China, for their spiritual belief of Falun Gong but rewarded by the heavens in the end.
“It’s a very positive statement,” Ms. Shackford said.
Ms. Shackford said that she would like to recommend the show to her friends.
For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
