NEW YORK—At the end of Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra’s performance Saturday afternoon, at Carnegie Hall, the audience was on its feet with thunderous applause. Among those who were enraptured by the concert was Carmen Dell'Orefice, 84, who holds the record for the world’s longest modeling career.
Ms. Dell'Orefice called the Orchestra “an extraordinary musical experience” that truly allowed her to understand Chinese culture.
“It is up to the artist to express the heart and soul of where they come from, and we certainly felt China’s soul this afternoon,” she said, adding that words were inadequate “to express the joy and the pleasure of what I experienced.”
The Shen Yun Orchestra, which features a blend of Western and Chinese instruments, performed mostly original compositions along with works from the Western classical tradition. The original pieces showcased traditional Chinese melodies and told stories of ancient and contemporary China.
Ms. Dell'Orefice was especially fascinated by the erhu, a Chinese two-stringed instrument with the ability to convey a board range of expressions. Some liken it to the sound of a person singing.
On Saturday, three of the orchestra’s erhu soloists were featured in a piece entitled “All for Today,” depicting the human search for the meaning of life, according to the program notes. The erhu soloists seamlessly harmonized with each other and the orchestra to convey a person’s quest for spirituality.
Ms. Dell'Orefice began modeling at 13 for artist Salvador Dali, and graced the cover of Vogue magazine at age 15. Today, she still walks fashion runways, and recently made the cover of New You magazine.
Reporting by NTD Television and Annie Wu.
The Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra continues its tour with a performance on Oct. 11 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts inWashington, D.C. and on Oct. 13 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota, Florida. For information about the orchestra’s October performances, visit ShenYun.com/Symphony.
New York-based Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra comprises musicians from the four Shen Yun Performing Arts touring companies. Shen Yun Performing Arts begins its 2016 world tour on Dec. 22, 2015.
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time.
