BADEN-BADEN, Germany—The Shen Yun Performing Arts opened in Baden-Baden on April 14 at the Festpielhaus Baden-Baden, and fascinated a producer.
Mr. Nick Rivers, owner of Nick Entertainment, produces shows worldwide. He said, “I truly enjoyed the show. I must say that as someone who knew absolutely nothing about the performers of this show, but who expected a great production, I’m deeply impressed. In my mind I see the colors, hear the amazing music, remember the philosophical remarks and try to find an interpretation of the dances. It was fascinating. There is so much to take in.”
According to the Shen Yun website, “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. Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired.
Mr. Rivers said he was intrigued by the historical significance of the performance and said, “It is exciting that one can take in much information, process it over time and see the historical value of this show ... .” He said he would continue to think about the meaning and historical context. Shen Yun intends to revive Chinese civilization, according to the program book.
Overall, “The choreography was fantastic. It is amazing how one can tell stories through music, dance and song. The synchronization displayed by the dancers was amazing and very interesting.”
Mr. Rivers responded to the “emotions emanating from the stage. That was amazing how they succeeded in bringing emotion to the audience’s attention.”
The emotions Mr. Rivers spoke of entailed humor, tragedy, love and conflicts. He felt satisfied by the resolution after the drama in the stories. He said he was most struck by the “struggle that in the end brought about peace. This is what impressed me deeply.”
According to the Shen Yun website, classical Chinese dance “is a dance art form built upon a deep foundation of traditional aesthetics. Classical Chinese dance is rich with expressive power. Through expression of bearing and form, beautiful dance movements bring out the inner meaning of intrinsic thoughts and feelings, reflecting the peculiarities of human nature, the standard for human conduct, moral concepts, mental state, one’s value system, and so on.”
Mr. Rivers said he wanted to let everything he had seen sink in, before he could fully express his response.
He said, “If I would talk about my innermost thoughts now, I would not have given my thoughts time to absorb what was shown on stage.”
The extraordinary skill of the dancers in Shen Yun made him curious. “How could these dancers accomplish a feat that gave the audience a story?”
According to the Shen Yun website: A Shen Yun performance features the world’s foremost classically trained dancers, a unique orchestra blending East and West, and dazzling animated backdrops—together creating one spectacular performance.
Reporting by NTD Television and Heide B. Malhotra
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reaction since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006
