CHICAGO—Warm greetings from the Chief of Staff of President-elect Barack Obama, U.S. Senator Richard Durbin and other Illinois elected officials, and the head of the Taipei Cultural and Economic Office welcomed Divine Performing Arts (DPA) to Chicago for three shows.
Congressman Rahm Emanuel of Illinois’s 5th District has been named as Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff. Mr. Emanuel’s greeting focused on the content of DPA’s performance: “[DPA] is a display of classical themes, divinely-inspired cultural traditions, and such principles as freedom, peace, virtue, and justice in the styles of Chinese classical music, dance and costume.”
Senator Richard J. Durbin commented on the significance of DPA’s performances:
“Through its widely attended world tour, the DPA has helped renew some lost Chinese arts, which have been forgotten or ignored since the Chinese Cultural Revolution.
“The DPA’s performances highlight the beauty and the value of China’s artistic tradition and heritage, and the continued success of the World Tour further emphasizes the value of celebrating these traditions amidst changing times.”
