TORONTO—The Mostyn family were among an appreciative audience in the John Bassett Theatre in the Toronto Convention Center, watching the Divine Performing Arts Mid-Autumn Spectacular.
Sheila Mostyn, a retired schoolteacher was quite taken with the show, the likes she had not seen before.
“It is very exciting to be here and see such a dynamic and colorful show. Very, very exciting and quite different from what I’m used to seeing,” she said.
The drum scenes were her favorites. “Very stimulating, precise and exact, despite all the motion and timing. The look on their faces showed their full concentration in what they were doing. To be truthful, every single scene showed the actors’ dedication to the show.”
Mrs. Mostyn also commented on the Nymphs of the Sea: “The lovely one, with the girls and their waves, the nymphs in the water, it was just alive.
“It is totally different than in western [shows], we never do anything like that, the closest we come is the Swan Lake and that is totally different.”
Mrs. Mostyn’s husband, Alan Mostyn, a retired lawyer from the firm Mostyn & Mostyn Barristers & Solicitors agreed with everything his wife said.
“I found it very very enjoyable, I think my wife is quite correct, the movements, the facial expressions of the drummers, the dancers everything is very precise, very enjoyable, I recommend it to anyone,” he said.
He had been to a Divine Performing Arts show two years ago and said this year’s show was even better.
“It’s much better; it’s all new and very very enjoyable. I can’t really point to a specific scene or anything else, but I am enjoying it very much. I like the Mongolian Bowl Dance best; it’s very, very good. The costumes are very beautiful and the music is great,” he said.
Mrs. Mostyn agreed. “I found it very interesting how they kept the bowls on their heads and the exciting part was by the time they got to the end there were three bowls not just one. Everybody thought there was just one, but then off came one, and then the second, and then there was a third. Very, very thrilling.”
“Brilliant, absolutely brilliant,” she added.
Son Michael Mostyn, Director of Government Relations was as enthused as his parents about the show.
“The show was fantastic, really lively, the singing was beautiful and the level of professionalism is just unbelievable. All of them are really professionals. The costumes are fantastic, the dancing is amazing and the music is wonderful,” he said.
The music, he said, was very interesting. “You can tell that the classical training really comes out. The power that just comes from the inside, especially the baritone was just an outstanding performer. You could tell that he was holding the audience with his voice.
“And the dance routines, looking at a combination of martial arts you could see in some of the dance moves together with the costumes and the background, scenery and special effects it all brings together a wonderful show. You can tell that there is a lot of thought in putting everything together, moving from musical numbers to the dance routines, a lot of classical and traditional dances as well and culture, bringing that all together makes for a wonderful and enjoyable experience.”
He said learning about Chinese culture was a bonus. “Absolutely, I think that it brings all sorts of elements of the Chinese culture, there are explanations before each of the scenes about what the story is; many traditional stories; many cultural elements of Chinese fiction, of Chinese culture, being brought out.
“I think that is wonderful for a Canadian audience to see.”
The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of China’s most ancient and cherished holidays. The Spectacular expresses Chinese classical dance and showcases authentic traditional Chinese culture. Through background scenery, costumes, and choreography, the Spectacular expresses truthfulness, compassion, and pure beauty. China’s history comes to life in this gorgeous performance that is entertaining, inspiring, and uplifting. The content of all programs is presented in both Chinese and English. For more info, visit DivineShows.com/Toronto.
