BUFFALO, N.Y.—The Shen Yun Performing Arts show that played at historic Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo on April 17 was a delight for musician Gretchen Fisher.
Ms. Fisher, who plays violin and other string instruments, teaches and performs in the Buffalo area. In an interview during the intermission, she said she found the show both exciting and inspirational.
“It’s beautiful, it’s really beautiful. The costumes and the music and the rhythms—everything’s coming together beautifully,” she said.
Shen Yun’s unique orchestra with its blend of Chinese and Western instruments also impressed her.
“The sound is great, the sound is phenomenal. It’s so well put together, everything is so tight, and just the way the music matches with the dancing—it’s enchanting, it’s absolutely enchanting.”
New York-based Shen Yun’s mission is to revive the authentic Chinese traditional culture that was all but destroyed after the communist regime took power in China.
“Culturally you can feel it, how it’s connected. It’s so exciting. I feel excited by it,” said Ms. Fisher, adding that she particularly enjoyed the soloists and the large-scale dances, such as the Mongolian Bowl Dance and Dancing for the Gods.
“They’re so well coordinated. I mean their movements are so tight you can tell how much preparation went into such a work as this. It’s beautiful. … The soloists are very expressive and it just really ties in well with the movement in the dance.”
Another unique aspect of Shen Yun is its animated digital backdrop, which changes for each piece and helps tell the story behind those dances that depict legends and tales from ancient China.
“There’s times where the performers come in and out of the backdrop as well, and it’s beautiful. I didn’t know that was going to be part of it,” said Ms. Fisher.
“I’ve enjoyed the music, I’ve enjoyed the dancing—it’s very inspirational,” she added. “I can’t wait to see the second half.”
Reporting by NTD Television and Joan Delaney
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, tours the world on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Following the Buffalo show, Shen Yun will perform 11 shows at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York from April 20 through to April 28. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
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