AUSTIN, Texas—Former Tarleton State University members Dennis and Mary Lou McCabe had an enlightening afternoon with Shen Yun Performing Arts at The Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin on Dec. 28.

“It was very, very beautiful, and the costumes were gorgeous,” said Mr. McCabe, who served as college president from 1991-2008.

During Mr. McCabe’s administration, he faced some financial hurdles but ultimately improved the Tarleton campus with new construction while also giving the faculty, who were receiving the lowest salaries in the state, the opportunity for a raise.

Mrs. McCabe, a retired professor, and her husband have since donated to create a scholarship fund for the school.

“It was very uplifting and enlightening,” Mrs. McCabe said of Shen Yun.

Mrs. McCabe said she loved the opening of the performance and how it revealed the divine inspiration of Chinese culture.

The New York-based Shen Yun seeks to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization through the performing arts.

Mrs. McCabe said the long history impacted her, and that she felt “an admiration for a culture that has survived centuries and centuries through everything.”

From the Shen Yun Orchestra to the traditional Chinese dance and digital backdrop, Mr. McCabe said he enjoyed every aspect. He added that he was particularly moved by the solo vocalists, who sing original Chinese compositions in the bel canto style.

Through the art, Mr. McCabe sensed the universal nature of traditional Chinese values. “It’s very human,” he said, while Mrs. McCabe added that the performance showed “the human spirit.”

“They were fabulous,” Mrs. McCabe concluded.

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.

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.