ROCHESTER, N.Y.—Shen Yun Performing Arts opened its first show at the Rochester Auditorium Theatre on the evening of May 6.
“I loved it so much! I was happy to hear that there is a different show every year. I do want to come back and see it again. It would be great,” Mr. Villone expressed.
Using classical Chinese, folk, and ethnic dances, as well as solo musical performances, the artists tell legends from ancient times to the modern day.
The company is expected to return with a brand-new set of choreography, stories, and musical compositions every year.
Mr. Villone had previously read about the communist party’s illegal organ black market and was glad to see it represented in Shen Yun’s performance.
“If you are an enemy of the state, according to [the communist regime,] they could take your body and sell your organs. It’s a dreadful thing! Most people don’t know about it.”As one of the oldest civilizations in the world, China’s 5,000 years of history are filled with breathtaking legends and rich traditions. Yet, within just a few decades of the Chinese communists’ rise to power, this magnificent culture was completely destroyed.
Ms. Scott said the performance moved her and “brought awareness to how much freedom we as Americans enjoy and how we take it for granted.”
“Even the basic right of choice of how you practice your religion can be taken away—it’s horrific to imagine that this would happen anywhere,” she added.
“My sister-in-law is Chinese, and so I have a very strong connection to that sort of suffering.”
