TORONTO—Mr. Marvin, a leading violinist and instructor in baroque music, was moved and inspired by the Divine Performing Arts 2009 World Tour at John Bassett Theatre on Tuesday.
“I am very pleased to hear this, extremely pleased,” he said of the show’s music.
Mr. Marvin is a musician and writer with and masters degree in music. He was first violinist with a leading orchestra in the United States. He is also a devoted performer of chamber music and now specializes in early orchestral music. He has played with a number of leading ensembles and has also taught baroque and classical violin in respected baroque training workshops.
“The musicians of course are very fine players and the dancers are obviously at an extremely high level, but one thing that I do understand is that this is not merely for art, but the expression here is a spiritual one as well,” he said.
“What’s most important to me, besides that, is the clear desire everyone has here to express the desire for freedom, and freedom of expression not only in art but in their entire lives. And I appreciate this very much and I’m very happy to see this.”
The show’s program states: “The guiding mission of Divine Performing Arts is to rediscover and renew humanity’s true, rightful cultural heritage. The company thus creates and performs works that centre upon the true, divinely bestowed culture of humankind, and seeks to provide an experience of consummate beauty and goodness.”
“When I came here I wasn’t completely aware of where all the artists came from, or what their purpose was, or their backgrounds, but it makes me appreciate that even more, to understand this. Especially I liked the presentation where it makes that clear, when it shows the people suffering from oppression and seeking freedom. And I like that very much,” said Mr. Marvin.
That dance, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution, tells the tale of a father who is persecuted for practicing Falun Gong. The fantastic scenes that ultimately unfold in this piece present a message of hope and bespeak of a longstanding Chinese belief that good people are ultimately rewarded, even if not in this lifetime.
Under China’s current authoritarian regime much of China’s own cultural heritage has been destroyed. Divine Performing Arts is known for its efforts to revive those cultural traditions.
“In Mainland China, a lot of this now is not so easily found. I hope that this will enlighten a lot of people about the possibilities and how much deep culture there is in China,” Mr. Marvin said.
The Divine Performing Arts orchestra is unique in that it begins with a classical Western orchestra as its foundation and augments this with traditional Chinese instruments, enabling its compositions to at once mine the potential of Western orchestral music and yet be rich in Chinese qualities.
“I like the integration of the traditional instruments with the modern orchestra. It’s a very special effect and, in this case with the traditional Chinese music and approach and style, it’s very pleasant experience. I’m really enjoying it. It’s a very high level performance.”
He continued: “I think even the modern instruments, the violin, the viola, cello, and flute, are being used to promote what I understand to be primarily Chinese sorts of melodies and harmonies in the music, and I think it’s integrated very well . . . It’s a perfectly pleasant experience.”
Mr. Marvin brought his 14-year-old son who is studying karate. He said his son was really enjoying the performances that included battle scenes, such as one between the Monkey King and an evil temptress.
Mr. Marvin said he was amazed to discover the tumbling moves most people know as gymnastics actually originated in classical Chinese dance.
“It’s amazing. I did not know that before. It’s an amazing thing to learn. I thought perhaps it was an expression of gymnastic moved applied to dance. It’s very interesting to know those moves are all part of dance.”
He thought the dance and music were worked well together and that he appreciated both “very much.”
Mr. Marvin who has some background in Chinese culture and music, said he quite enjoying being exposed to classical Chinese dance.
“I didn’t know so much about the traditional dance and I’m really learning a lot from that. That’s what I’m learning the most. What I’m appreciating especially is not merely the artistic expression, but the spiritual one and for my purposes the spiritual one is the essence of freedom that’s being expressed here and the search and the desire for it. I appreciate that very much.”
“They certainly work beautifully with the music. It is surprising to see the motions and how the arms and the legs are extended in motion and how this is used in the dance. That’s very special.”
Divine Performing Arts will take the stage once more in Toronto on Wednesday evening before moving on to New York City’s famed Radio City Music Hall. Divine Performing Arts has two other dance companies currently touring in the United States.
For more information visit Divineperformingarts.org