NEW YORK—The distinct sounds and cultural messages impressed two businessmen who saw the opening 2014 performance by Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company at Lincoln Center, Friday, Jan. 10.
The solo erhu (Chinese violin) performance captivated Rodlofo Chiari, co-owner of a sugar refining business in Central America and owner of a shrimp farm. “That was very, very ultra special. That was exquisite,” he said.
The erhu has only two strings but can mimic a vast array of emotions and sounds from nature, like chirping birds and galloping horses.
“The tone, it sounded like a very special combination between cello and mandolin—a very, very magnificent instrument, one we’re not familiar with,” Chiari said.
Real estate investor David Haynes said the performance was “better than the movies.”
“You feel the performance better when it’s live and you’re hearing someone sing, and you’re watching them dance, and you’re seeing the costume changes,” he said.
He especially liked the Mongolian Chopsticks dance, with its quick footwork and staccato beats.
“It’s very elegant, so proper, with their stance, they don’t move their heads, it’s very cool,” he said.
Shen Yun performs classical Chinese dance, as well as dances from China’s various ethnic groups, which developed over the Middle Kingdom’s 5,000 years of civilization.
The performance also includes pieces depicting human rights violations in contemporary China, where the New York-based company has never been allowed to perform.
“I feel bad for the people that live in China,” Hayes said. “They would have to come here to see something like this. That’s crazy!”
“The culture is being buried in China and needs to flourish elsewhere.”
Reporting by NTD Television and June Fakkert
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
