QUEBEC CITY, Canada—Shen Yun Performing Arts returned Dec. 27 to Québec City as the first stop on the Canadian leg of the acclaimed classical Chinese dance company’s 2014 global tour.
The New York-based production received a warm welcome from Mayor Régis Labeaume as it prepared to grace the stage at Salle Louis Fréchette at the Grand Théâtre de Québec arts complex in the vibrant capital city of the province of Quebec.
“This year again, Shen Yun transports us to a poetic realm where ancient Chinese legends come back to life, to bring us messages of compassion, courage, and hope,” wrote Mayor Labeaume in his greetings letter.
“Festive, colourful, and luminous, Shen Yun is akin to the capital city during this merry time of year. It’s a true privilege for Québec City to welcome within its walls the company’s talented artists.”
Mayor Labeaume congratulated the organizers of the show, noting that Shen Yun’s “quality and calibre is outstanding.”
Retired Canadian Forces soldier Roger Larouche was among the audience at the opening show in Quebec City.
After 36 years in the military, he says he has been “everywhere in the world with my family” and seen a lot, but Shen Yun truly stood out for him.
“It’s wonderful! I would have watched it until tomorrow morning,” Mr. Larouche said. “I would not have needed to eat, I would not have needed to drink. It’s so beautiful, it’s like a paradise!”
Management consultant Daniel Forest echoed this sentiment; he did not want the show to end.
“I wanted an encore, I wanted it to continue,” he said. “I would’ve liked more. I really enjoyed my evening.”
“A very colourful spectacular. I loved it,” Mr. Forest noted, adding that “the orchestra is absolutely fantastic and the artists bring a precision that is absolutely mind-boggling. It’s always perfect.”
For business owner David Vaudrin, what deeply impressed him was the goodness and righteousness conveyed by Shen Yun’s artistic presentation.
“Art is something that can make us feel better, and Shen Yun transmits that through grace and something that is righteous,” Mr. Vaudrin said.
As noted on the Shen Yun website, art is meant to uplift and bring joy to both the artist and audience, and inspiration comes from the divine when the heart behind the motivation to excel is based on a spiritual connection and rooted in the virtues of traditional culture.
“Using art for something righteous, that’s important. That’s what I retain most fundamentally,” Mr. Vaudrin said.
Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company will stage three shows at the Grand Théâtre de Québec, Salle Louis-Fréchette, from Friday until Sunday.
Reporting by Tina Sun, Mathieu Côté-Desjardins, Weya Yang, and Cindy Chan
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.
