ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—“It’s visually beautiful and yet it’s profound,” said Winona Stoltzfus, MD, executive director of NM Health Care for the Homeless. Dr. Stoltzfus was accompanied to Shen Yun’s March 6 performance held at the Popejoy Hall by Mr. Terry Schleder, an independent Health Policy Consultant.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts is touring the globe reaching 100 cities and 20 countries with a mission to bring China’s rich culture to life on stage through the performing arts.
“Even though it’s incredibly beautiful, visually and auditory,” Dr. Stoltzfus recognized the many levels of understanding that are woven throughout the performance, about spirituality and belief, “where it talks about Buddha coming and Falun Dafa.”
Falun Dafa is a traditional spiritual practice that applies the universal principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance and has been under brutal persecution in China since 1999.
Shen Yun incorporates classical Chinese dance, a symphony orchestra that includes Western and Chinese instruments, world acclaimed soloists, exquisitely detailed handmade costumes, and digitally mastered backdrops, all into one amazing production. The production then gives rise to a unique and profound expression of China’s divinely inspired culture.
Dr. Stoltzfus says, “It’s more than just the dance and music, although that’s incredible in and of itself, [the spiritually] gives it an added depth.” She found it not only valuable but also “breathtaking!”
“It’s quite an epic production. It seems to have a little bit of singing, performing and dancing. And it’s almost like opera is woven in,” Mr. Schleder said.
The Shen Yun Orchestra is unique in that it is the only one of its kind to combine Eastern instruments—the erhu, the pipa and the dizi with Western classical instruments, resulting in an ethereal sound inspiring the imagination to experience distant planes and heavenly realms.
Mr. Schleder said of the Shen Yun Orchestra, “It’s amazing!”
During the Great Cultural Revolution, China’s ancestral heritage was almost totally destroyed due to the ruling atheist communist regime. While Shen Yun can be seen in many countries around the world it has yet to perform before the people of mainland China.
What impressed Mr. Schleder about the performance was the chronicling of Chinese history and culture, saying, “With China being under communist rule, it just seems like there is a possibility that so much of the rich cultural traditions get lost or squelched. This [Shen Yun] is a testimony to how people will always hold on to the traditions and encourage them to persevere through hard times.”
“It’s such a visceral experience, watching and listening to it, and the visuals are amazing,” Mr. Schleder said.
Both Dr. Stoltzfus and Mr. Schleder said they would recommend Shen Yun to family and friends, and Dr. Stoltzfus added, “We were just saying we wish his son was here and wish our grandkids were here.”
Mr. Schleder said, “It’s a great family show. All ages should come see it.”
Dr. Stoltzfus said that she found Shen Yun “unexpectedly moving.”
Reporting by Albert Roman and Maria Banks
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company is performing at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona, March 10, and Las Vegas, Nevada, at Reynolds Hall, in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, March 15–17. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
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