AUCKLAND, New Zealand—”It was fantastic,” said 40-year veteran musician Wayne Nielsen after seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts at the ASB theatre in Auckland on Friday 20.
With a core of classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun boasts state-of-the-art digital backdrops, colorful, handmade costumes, and a unique orchestra that melds Western and Chinese instruments.
Mr. Nielsen has previously played the trombone with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as Brass and Army Bands.
He acknowledged the skill of the Shen Yun Orchestra saying, “everyone has got the right intonation and everything, it’s amazing.”
A Western philharmonic orchestra plays the foundation, while traditional Chinese instruments lead the melodies. The sound produced is uniquely pleasing to the ear. The ensemble at once expresses both the grandeur of a Western orchestra and the distinct sensibilities of China’s 5,000-year-old civilization, according to the Shen Yun website.
“I’d say definitely come because there is the dancing and the colors and the coordination, choreography … and the music was great as well,” he said when asked what he would tell a friend about the show.
Reporting by Diane Cordemans and Nick Mclaughlin
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, tours the world on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company performs in Auckland’s ASB Theatre April 20-22, and the St James Theatre, Wellington April 23-24.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
