Mr. Kilgour has long been an admirer of New York-based Shen Yun, but this year was even better than anticipated.
“I think it’s phenomenal. I had high expectations when I came, but I’ve been enormously pleased by what I saw. I’m seeing everybody else had the same reaction tonight,” said Mr. Kilgour who was happy to see such a good turnout on Boxing Day. “I think it’s wonderful.”
With a mission of reviving China’s rich artistic culture, much of which was lost during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), Shen Yun brings both the aesthetic beauty and the essence of China’s 5,000-year-old traditions. These cannot be found in China today.
“Someday we’ll have to take the show to China and show the people of China what the culture of China is, what the singing and the dancing of China, the real China is, “ he said. “I can hardly wait for when that day comes, and I’m sure it’s going to come soon.”
Since its establishment in 2006, prominent leaders in the artistic and business communities have expressed their admiration for Shen Yun and its mission.
“One of the people I’ve been sitting with is a singer, an opera singer, and the man I was with, his wife is an opera singer, so they were as pleased as I was about it. They were delighted.
“We were all applauding at the things we saw, we were delighted with everything we saw,” he said, adding that the show would get an excellent response wherever it goes.
“I didn’t think it could get better, but I think it’s getting better each year. There seem to be more dancers, more singers. The use of photographs and the images was marvellous. I was just swept away by it all, and from the applause, everybody seemed to have exactly the same reaction,” Mr. Kilgour said.
Reporting by SOH radio network and Madalina Hubert.
Having completed its Ottawa run, Shen Yun Performing Arts will go on to perform in Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Montreal. For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
