TORONTO—Few stage productions are able to create such a harmonious fusion of a variety of distinctive creative endeavors, East and West, traditional and contemporary, as Shen Yun Performing Arts.
On Saturday afternoon, that beauty was on full display at Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre, where the audience gave a standing ovation following the performance showcasing vibrant costumes, inspiring stories, state-of-the-art animated backdrops, gravity-defying classical Chinese dance movements, and a full Western orchestra enriched by the inclusion of ancient Chinese instruments.
“It’s always great to see somebody that knows how to honor their own culture and how it should be presented, and how it should be brought forward,” said Jurij Klufas, founder of Canada’s largest Ukrainian street festival.
Mr. Klufas’s background holds special significance in light of Shen Yun’s own history. A leader in Toronto’s Ukrainian-Canadian diaspora, his community has long preserved and celebrated its heritage though public art and festivals in the face of adversity.
Shen Yun “reminds me of the fact that the freedom that we have here in Canada is not everywhere,” he said. “We as Ukrainians have fought communism and aggression in different forms, and are fighting it today. And we in Canada don’t realize that the people in China are fighting it also.”
“The colors, the costumes, and the dancing are quite exceptional,” Mr. Farwell said, adding that the grandeur of the Four Seasons Centre offered a rare excuse for elegance. “There aren’t many opportunities to really get dressed up these days. ... We felt comfortable getting a little dressed up ourselves.”
Although Mr. Farwell admitted his knowledge of traditional Chinese culture is limited, he’s certain of one thing: “From the viewer’s eyes, it’s really wonderful.”
The performance seamlessly weaved together classical Chinese dance, a live symphony orchestra, and patented 3D digital backdrops into a vivid, uplifting evening.
The artistic and cultural presentation was so inspiring to Ricky Palmer, a senior manager with the government of Ontario, that he noted he would have to book an immediate trip to Japan after leaving the theater.
“I love the fact that it’s very cultural. So even though I’ve never been to Asia, it demonstrates what the environment is like culturally and socially and spiritually,” he said. “It’s very interesting.”
“It’s also a little sad, given some of the restrictions placed on some of the people in the society,” he said. “So it’s good to showcase that live onstage today.”
