SYDNEY—Music industry veteran and renowned singer songwriter, Peter Morgan, said the Shen Yun Orchestra was something special.
He saw the presentation at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre on Thursday night and, beautiful dancing aside, he most enjoyed the unique orchestra which combines Western and traditional Chinese instruments.
“I loved the music,” Mr. Morgan said. “The music is emotional and the orchestration is really beautiful, and the sounds of the instruments, the traditional sounding instruments, they’re emotional, they bring out the dance.”
The Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company, performing in Sydney until Sunday May 6, is one of three touring the world simultaneously. Shen Yun performances are centred around classical Chinese dance, but another highlight is the unique orchestras, which contain Chinese instruments that many in Western countries haven’t seen or heard before.
Mr. Morgan said the unique musical sound added an extra dimension to the dance.
“The dancing is just amazing, the music is really well placed with the dance, it’s really well orchestrated, it’s really nice.”
Mr. Morgan is a well-respected figure on the Australian and New Zealand music scenes. He has performed on cruise liners, in musicals and at corporate events. He sang the theme song “This is the Moment” at the Commonwealth Games in New Zealand and has been a regular guest on New Zealand television.
He was most impressed with the music played for the dance Lotus Leaves, where celestial lotus maidens dance on top of the water, with unique full-circle fans that sway in the wind like lily pads.
“I loved all the music but that was special, really special,” Mr. Morgan said. “I love the flute sounds, I love the traditional sounding violins, I love the violins, the percussion is beautiful, and the arrangements are really, really lovely. It’s beautiful, it suits like the music in the dance, waterlilies, [Lotus Leaves]. I loved all the music but that was special, really special.”
Reporting by Rona Rui and Ethan Yang.
Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world, with a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company will perform at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre through May 6.
For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
