DETROIT—In celebration of his 46th wedding anniversary and his wife’s birthday, Dr. Bohdan Hnatiuk received tickets from his son to attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Detroit Opera House.
He came accompanied by his wife, his daughter-in-law, and grandchildren to enjoy the classical Chinese dance and music company on Saturday evening.
A physician with a private obstetrics and gynecology practice in Michigan, Dr. Hnatiuk said he came open-minded to enjoy the performance.
“I expose myself to many cultures and of course, this is one of the oldest in the history of man—beautiful, enjoyed it,” he 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,” according to the company’s website
The heavenly realms portrayed on stage are also reflected into the songs sung by classically trained vocalists.
Some of the lyrics, projected on the screen in both English and Chinese, moved Dr. Hnatiuk to tears, particularly those that talked about man’s relationship to the Creator.
However, the whole performance gave him some lessons to take home.
“I learned that there is good and evil in the world and that there is a God in the world. I learned that people, no matter where they come from … we are all from the same cradle and we should try to get back to that,” he said.
His wife was also impressed by the beauty of the performance.
“I just wish you had a DVD because my mother who is 96 she couldn’t come. She can’t walk. I would love to show her this.
“Maybe one day,” she said.
Reporting by Joan Wang and Sharon Kilarski
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.
