PHOENIX—Former president of Premier Brands and director of a consulting company, Scott Rahn, appreciated Shen Yun’s depiction of traditional Chinese culture—particularly without the clout of modern day communism.
“I think it’s important to see the culture without the umbrella of communism. It’s just fantastic,” Mr. Rahn said after watching
Shen Yun Performing Arts with his wife Laurie at the Phoenix Orpheum on Feb. 22.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts
showcases authentic Chinese culture prior to communism—a time when people believed in and respected the divine. Through this belief system, harmony between Heaven, Earth, and humankind ensued, and led to honorable tales of courage and sacrifice, integrity and loyalty, compassion and virtue.
“It’s a different show every year and it’s fun,” Mr. Rahn said.
“Spectacular dancing, and the storylines are fun to see. The old traditional Chinese story combined with the dancing and music is terrific.”
Through a series of story-based vignettes,
Shen Yun showcases stories from ancient China through to modern times. These vignettes are accompanied by an
orchestral arrangement that blends Eastern and Western instruments, an animated backdrop, and performances by world-class soloists.
Mr. Rahn gave particular mention to the
erhu virtuoso, who played the two-string Chinese “violin.”
“[It] was amazing, with just two strings!” Mr. Rahn said.
The erhu is one of the most important Chinese instruments, with a history of over 4,000 years. While it has only two strings, it can convey a wide range of emotions, captivating audience members with its simple yet powerful sound.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Rahn said she got more out of
Shen Yun this year—having now watched Shen Yun five times.
“We love it,” Mrs. Rahn said.
“We noticed this year that you started to advertise as ‘China before Communism,’ and that was very smart.”
“We were both in marketing and we thought ‘Oh yes,’ we are so glad they are using that and trying to communicate that to people. It helps you appreciate it in a different level.”
Reporting by Linda Jiang and Henry Jom.
