Deputy Judge, Former UN Delegate and Community Leader ‘Overwhelmed’ by Shen Yun

Tom Sutherland, a lawyer, deputy judge, Queen’s Counsel, and former delegate to the United Nations was deeply impressed by the cultural display Shen Yun Performing Arts presented at Hamilton Place on Sunday afternoon.
Deputy Judge, Former UN Delegate and Community Leader ‘Overwhelmed’ by Shen Yun
Tom Sutherland poses for a photo with the Shen Yun Performing Arts' program book at the Hamilton Place on Sunday Jan. 13, 2013. (Allen Zhou/The Epoch Times)
1/13/2013
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img class="wp-image-1772174" title="Sutherland" src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/Sutherland.jpg" alt="Tom Sutherland poses for a photo with the Shen Yun" width="354" height="472"/></a>
Tom Sutherland poses for a photo with the Shen Yun

HAMILTON, Canada—Tom Sutherland, a lawyer, deputy judge, Queen’s Counsel, and former delegate to the United Nations was deeply impressed by the cultural display Shen Yun Performing Arts presented at Hamilton Place on Sunday afternoon.

“It’s a fantastic show. Colour, music, wonderful history, the choreography—excellent.”

Mr. Sutherland’s long list of community service includes sitting as an alderman for the City of Burlington for eight years, sometimes as acting mayor.

He was on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Chairman of the Visitor and Convention Bureau of Burlington, and is a past Director of the Halton Law Association, in addition to many other posts.

Speaking during intermission, he praised every element of the performance.

“I’m looking forward, I can’t wait to see the second half of the show, I’m not surprised that it’s sold out.”

He said he couldn’t praise the show enough. “It’s just wonderful ... fantastic.”

He was also impressed with the digital projections in the show, vividly animated backdrops that harmonize all aspects of the performance, from the characters, colours, and costumes, to the music played by the orchestra and special audio effects.

“I'll tell everybody I’m glad there’s a wonderful turn out here today, and of course other shows elsewhere, and I understand there are three companies that travel throughout the world.”

He advises others, “go and see a wonderful show of music, dance, artistry,”

Shen Yun’s unigue philharmonic orchestra also made an impression. The orchestra plays all-original scores and features Chinese instruments leading the melodies.

“Wonderful music, it captures the true language and culture of the Chinese people. ... I tell you, this is fantastic.”

He said Shen Yun captured the history of China and allowed audiences in North America “to appreciate the Chinese culture even more when they see the colour and the dancing and the artistry of the program.”

Shen Yun’s hundreds of hand-tailored costumes were “wonderful,” he said.

“I was overwhelmed, it was dynamite, the precision, the choreography, the music, the colour, the costumes, the dress—wonderful, fantastic. I’ve been to Hong Kong 33 times and Taiwan 13 times, but I’ve never had an opportunity to see this kind of show there.

“I’m so happy I was able to come here, no wonder they are sellout shows. They deserve to have full house and it’s fantastic.”

Most impressive, he said, was the precision of it all, how the choreography, orchestra, and staging all worked together.

Shen Yun musical soloists, which includes bel canto singers and an erhu viruoso, were also “dynamite,” he said.

“The passion, the history, wonderful, colourful exploration of the culture, long history of Chinese culture—wonderful.”

Reporting by Allen Zhou and Matthew Little.

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun’s New York Company performed three shows in Hamilton Jan. 12-13 and is now heading to Toronto for five shows Jan. 17-20, completing its tour of eastern Canada. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

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