Opera Singers Uplifted at Divine Performing Arts

Mrs. Helen Niedung, an award-winning opera singer, brought her two daughters to the opening night of the ‘Splendor’
Opera Singers Uplifted at Divine Performing Arts
Shen Yun Performing Arts New Era Company's curtain call in Milwaukee's Marcus Performing Arts Center, on Dec. 31, 2021. (Hu Chen/The Epoch Times)
12/23/2008
Updated:
2/19/2022
Award-winning Opera singer Mrs. Helen Niedung (C) and her daughters.
Award-winning Opera singer Mrs. Helen Niedung (C) and her daughters.

SARASOTA, Fla.—Mrs. Helen Niedung, an award-winning opera singer, brought her two daughters to the opening night of the Divine Performing Arts 2009 World Tour at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Konstanze, one of Mrs. Niedung’s daughters, is also an opera singer.

Mrs. Niedung said she thoroughly enjoyed the show: “We loved the show. It was so beautiful, the costumes were fantastic, and the dancers, the performers were all so wonderful. I thought the tenor was quite good. I liked that the words of the songs were put on the screen so we could understand the singers.”

Mrs. Nieding also experienced what she saw as profound meaning in the show: “As for the meaning, it gives you hope; and that’s what everyone wants in life, is hope, isn’t it? Even though things are sometimes tough in life, we must retain our hope.”

Kirsten Niedung, a project manager by profession, was very pleased to see the translations projected behind the singers. “I liked having the words on the screen, because they had a beautiful meaning, a profound meaning. I was glad it was translated so I knew what was being said. It was a story of hope.”

“That’s what I said,” Mrs. Niedung chimed in.

“It was really uplifting,” Kirsten emphasized. “I genuinely enjoyed it. I thought the tenor was great; he has a very strong voice. I liked the sopranos too (Bai Xue singing ”Giving You Hope,“ and Jianing Xu singing ”Let Reason Prevail.")

Kirsten was also very impressed by the high-technology backdrop. “It was really neat how the people would come from the screen and pop out on stage. I loved the colors, of course. I liked ”The Udumbara’s Bloom,“ where the flowers came out of the Buddha’s hand, with the pink and white costumes. The dance movements—it was very graceful.”

Kirsten said she was also interested in learning about different cultures, philosophies, and spiritual practices. “I have a coworker who practices Falun Gong meditation,” she said, which was depicted in the program, “so I am very interested in learning about that, and how it is oppressed in China—the belief in truth, compassion, and forbearance.”

Mrs. Niedung noted that the Chinese operatic singing style differed in style from strictly Western operatic singing, but in ways that she found hard to describe.

Konstanze said, from her perspective of being an opera singer, that the traditions in Western opera and Chinese singing were part of the difference in style.

All the ladies mentioned that the colorful costumes added to their enjoyment of the show. “I liked the costumes very, very much.” said Mrs. Niedung.

 
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