STAMFORD, Conn.—Siblings Christian Niemeyer and Lisa Silver had enjoyed Shen Yun Performing Arts the first time they saw it, and wanted to share the experience with friend and fellow musician Elena Ivanina the second time around.
“It was very creative, very beautiful, very colorful, and very different for us,” said Ms. Ivanina, concert pianist, after seeing Shen Yun for the first time at The Palace Theatre on March. 7. “It’s a new experience, and all the stories were interesting.”
“The performance is terrific,” said Ms. Silver, president of an interior design firm, who felt the stories conveyed deep themes, like that of “redemption” and heaven.
“The dances are gorgeous. It’s a combination of heaven and earth,” Ms. Silver said, referencing the divinely inspired nature of traditional Chinese culture. “It’s beautiful, just beautiful.”
“The visuals are, of course, spectacular. But the strong element of spirituality really [resonated], very much so,” she said.
“The two-stringed instrument, that was unbelievable ... the sound she got out of that, it was awfully good,” Mr. Niemeyer said of the erhu. “On two strings she pulled off such a sound, and there was so much technique in there, with the sliding notes and so on, it was beautiful. The sound she got out of that whole thing was unbelievable.”
“I’m always impressed, but the discipline was unbelievable, the choreography was just perfect. You watch everything, from the hand movements, to the feet,” he said. “Everything was just perfect.”
“And the sets and the scenes were just magical,” Ms. Silver added. “How the human beings went up into the sky, that was magical, as well as the dancing.”
‘Ignore the Suppression’
Ms. Silver said that Shen Yun had introduced her to a China she hadn’t known of, and the divinely inspired culture that existed before communism in China.“It was nice to see that because I didn’t know it,” she said. “I’m happy that they continue on with their truth and their beliefs and ignore the suppression of this by the communists.”
“The communists are giving them a hard time and I hope it doesn’t stop them. Keep going,” Mr. Niemeyer said.
The trio of art lovers said Shen Yun’s mission was more relevant than ever.
“Especially now, especially now,” Ms. Silver said.
“Because the spiritual side of a human being is the most valuable part, and the modern world tries to take that away,” Mr. Niemeyer said.
Ms. Ivanina appreciated the artistic deep dive into traditional Chinese culture.
“Definitely was enriching,” Ms. Ivanina said. “Coming out from the show, I think the beauty, the art, and spirituality wins, and it’s above politics. And that’s what unites people in the end.”
