TORONTO—Shen Yun Performing Arts wowed a sold-out audience in its final performance of the 2026 season in Toronto on June 28, capping a five-show run that was scheduled at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts after China-linked interference disrupted shows there earlier in the year.
Podcaster Tammy Peterson, who has also co-hosted talks with his husband, famed author and psychologist Dr. Jordan Peterson, said Shen Yun brings a hopeful message for the world, and emphasizes the importance of reviving tradition.
“It’s a hopeful message for the people of the world,” said Ms. Peterson.
She noted that China has seen its spiritual culture destroyed by decades of communist rule including through the Cultural Revolution, and that Shen Yun is reviving the nation’s deep spiritual beliefs.
“There is a chance for this to be a rebirth for the country, that would be wonderful. That’s a wonderful thing to hope for,” she said.
Shen Yun was founded in New York in 2006 by leading classical Chinese artists who had escaped China’s suppression, to revive China’s traditional culture. The show has faced severe persecution from China, including hoax bomb threats linked to Beijing aimed at disrupting the company’s performances.
Such was the case with Shen Yun’s performances at the Four Seasons Centre in late March and early April. After Shen Yun put on two shows at the venue on March 28, the theatre abruptly cancelled the March 29–April 5 shows after receiving an emailed bomb threat. The venue maintained the decision despite police investigating and confirming that the threat was not credible.
According to the show’s local organizers, the company has been targeted by such hoax threats more than 150 times over the past two years, but the threats have never resulted in show cancellations except in the case of the Four Seasons Centre. This includes the shows in Vancouver at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, where the venue decided to maintain its shows after receiving fake bomb threats following police confirmation that the threats were not credible. Vancouver Police said a phone number associated with the email sending the threat was based in China. The same email account was used to send the threat to the Toronto venue.
