SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Retired Italian Army Officer: Shen Yun Has the Potential to Influence Contemporary Chinese Culture

Jan 15, 2026

1/15/2026Updated: 1/15/2026

MILAN, Italy—After watching Shen Yun Performing Arts, retired Italian Army officer Attilio Andrè said he believes the performance “has the potential to influence and even change contemporary Chinese culture.”

On the evening of Jan. 13, the Shen Yun New York Company presented its first performance in Milan at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi. Through a series of expressive dance vignettes, vivid colors, powerful music, and live digital backdrops, the performance presented China’s 5,000-year-old civilization, leaving a deep impression on Mr. Andrè.

“This is my first experience with traditional Chinese culture,” he said.

Mr. Andrè noted that the spiritual themes conveyed in the performance resonated strongly with him. He said he clearly perceived the show’s connection to the divine and found it markedly different from modern Chinese culture.

“I really enjoyed this cultural experience,” he said. “I felt the connection between traditional Chinese culture and the divine. I think this culture is very different from what China is like today.”

Referring to the soprano performance and its message of salvation and the Creator, Mr. Andrè said the theme resonated deeply with him.

“It is a divine concept,” he said, “one that rises above popular or secular culture.”

He also spoke highly of the visual elements of the performance.

“The costumes and the colors impressed me the most,” he said.

As a former army officer, Mr. Andrè said he was particularly struck by the discipline and dedication of the Shen Yun artists.

“I realized how demanding this discipline must be,” he said. “The preparation and devotion required for classical Chinese dance are very evident, and that level of self-discipline is especially admirable.”

He also praised the live orchestra, which seamlessly blends Chinese and Western instruments into a single ensemble.

Mr. Andrè said it is the artists’ discipline that gives Shen Yun its broader significance.

“I believe it is through this self-discipline that they have the potential to influence—and even change—contemporary Chinese culture,” he said.

In closing, Mr. Andrè offered his encouragement to the artists.

“I wish them continued success in spreading traditional Chinese culture around the world,” he said. “I think this is very important, especially because this culture is so different from the culture in China today.”

Reporting by NTD and translated by The Epoch Times staff.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.