SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Hong Kong Official: ‘Fingers Crossed’ Shen Yun Performs in China

Feb 10, 2015
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Hong Kong Official: ‘Fingers Crossed’ Shen Yun Performs in China
Luca De Leonardis hopes one day Shen Yun will perform in China. He saw Shen Yun at Capitol Theatre in Sydney and was enthralled, on Feb. 6, 2015. (Courtesy of NTD Television)

SYDNEY—Hong Kong official, Luca De Leonardis, crossed his fingers that one day Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company will perform in China.

Mr. De Leonardis was attending the world-acclaimed classical Chinese dance and music spectacular on its opening night at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre, Feb. 6.

He hoped one day Chinese people would see Shen Yun in their own country as it would help them understand China’s historic past.

“It’s like a country that was probably something greater, with a soul—a big soul,” Mr. De Leonardis said. “We all hope that one day there will be the possibility for Chinese [people] to see the show in their own country, so fingers crossed.”

China was once known as Shen Zhou—The Divine Land, says Shen Yun’s website. “This profound name describes a land where deities and mortals coexisted, and a belief that the divine transmitted a rich culture to the people of the earth.

“For thousands of years, Buddhist, Taoist, and other disciplines were at the heart of society. Calligraphy, music, medicine, attire, and much more were said to have been passed down from the heaven,” the website continued.

“Unfortunately, systematic campaigns by the Chinese Communist Party, like the Cultural Revolution, uprooted traditional beliefs and destroyed ancient treasures, desecrating 5,000 years of China’s civilization.”

Mr. De Leonardis said he could see the ancient Chinese culture exuding from the performances and the artists.

“It’s amazing. You can learn more from watching this show, learn more about China, learn more about the culture and learn more about people,” he said.

“It’s a fantastic, sensational and high-ended [performance]. I will recommend the show to everybody, to all my friends and high contacts. They should come, they must come to see the show.”

Mr. De Leonardis is head of Invest Hong Kong for Australia & New Zealand for the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Sydney.

Sydneysiders Delighted with Shen Yun

Christina Tzortz, (L), and Chloe Beevers, at the Capitol Theatre to see Shen Yun Performing Arts, on Feb. 6, 2015. (Courtesy of NTD Television)
Christina Tzortz, (L), and Chloe Beevers, at the Capitol Theatre to see Shen Yun Performing Arts, on Feb. 6, 2015. (Courtesy of NTD Television)

Strategic artist Chloe Beevers and Sydney event blogger Christina Tzortzis were amongst the audience enjoying Shen Yun.

Ms. Tzortzis said the performance was brilliantly put together.

“I thought it was really phenomenal the way they have been able to capture thousands of years of history and all these various provinces from across China, and the theme with the interactive multi-media display in the backdrops made it much more,” Ms. Tzortzis said.

According to the Shen Yun website, state-of-the-art graphics technology creates “vividly animated settings, extending the stage transporting the audience to a world where heaven and earth are one.”

Ms. Tzortzis was in awe. “Wow, the choreography is perfect, seamless, and the way they are taking in the whole stage and working with the depth, and the depth of the screen as well. The way these actors keep magically disappearing and integrating into the digital backdrop is, ‘wow’ it’s phenomenal.”

Classical Chinese dance is at the heart of what Shen Yun does. Incorporating incredible flips and spins, and gentle elegance, it is one of the most rigorous and expressive dance forms in the world.

Ms. Beevers was impressed. “Pretty beautiful, I loved it—was very impressive,” she said. “I was really mesmerized, it really captured me just following the dancers, their movements. It’s just so beautiful the way they all moved together, just the beauty of it.”

She was appreciative of the heritage of classical Chinese dance and its influence throughout the world.

Ms. Tzortzis expressed gratitude to the Shen Yun Orchestra playing ancient Chinese instruments combined with the Western symphony ensemble and creating a unique and harmonious sound.

“Oh the music, having the orchestra there and the drums on stage, it makes such a difference to have live music,” she said.

Reporting by NTD Television and Raiatea Tahana-Reese

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

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