FORT WORTH, Texas—Ms. Martha Weaver, formerly the director of development for the Knoxville Symphony, had decided to see Shen Yun Performing Arts with an interest in the orchestra.

“A-plus. It was just spectacular,” Ms. Weaver said at the Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Jan. 5.

Ms. Weaver, who was also on the board of directors for The Historic Tennessee Theatre Foundation, came to Shen Yun with high expectations.

“I knew that the precision would be superb, and I was interested in the music too. The aesthetic sense I knew would be there—and I was not disappointed in any of it,” Ms. Weaver said.

New York-based Shen Yun was established in 2006 to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. Shen Yun Orchestra, which finished its first North America tour last year, is unique in its instrumentation. the orchestra combines traditional Chinese instruments into a full Western symphony unlike any other orchestra.

Ms. Weaver praised the pairing of the music with the traditional Chinese dance Shen Yun performed, which included ethnic and folk dances, and mini-dramas told through classical Chinese dance.

“Everything matched very well, and the precision of the dancers was phenomenal,” Ms. Weaver said.

The selection of stories, which ranged from myths and legends, folklore, to stories set in present day, were well chosen as well, Ms. Weaver said.

“I thought it was good that they told those particular stories,” Ms. Weaver said. “We got to know their culture more, and I think that was the total purpose.”

Everything about the production had just flowed, Ms. Weaver said. She added she enjoyed seeing the juxtaposition between many elements throughout the production, such as the traditional Chinese and Western instruments, or the digital backdrop accompanying traditional Chinese dance.

Shen Yun instilled a sense of respect for the art forms, Ms. Weaver said, the Chinese culture, classical Chinese dance, and “art, in all its phases.”

“It was universal,” Ms. Weaver said. “They’re excellent, that’s all I can say.”

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.