TORINO, Italy—Shen Yun Performing Arts opened the first of its seven consecutive shows at Teatro Regio Torino on April 18. In the audience was entrepreneur Cristina Seymandi.
“It was a beautiful and wonderful show,” Ms. Seymandi said. “[It was like] jumping into the dances and taking a leap into the past, yet the scripts were still very [relevant to today]—it was really a surprise,” she said.
The name ‘Shen Yun” translates directly into “the beauty of divine beings dancing.” Based in New York, the artists have made it their mission to revive, through dance and music, China’s 5,000 years of civilization to its pre-communist glory.
Reviving Traditional Culture
Ms. Seymandi was impressed by the artists’ dedication to reviving traditional culture and thought the spirituality Shen Yun presented in the show came through loud and clear to the audience.“It’s a great mission. It’s very important because traditions must be respected and cultures handed down.”
According to its website, Shen Yun’s patented 3D digital technology works with the performers to “extend the stage to infinite realms” and brings to its audience “storytelling without limits.”
Referring to Shen Yun’s portrayal of human rights issues in modern-day China under communist rule, Ms. Seymandi said it made her feel very lucky that “in Italy, we have the freedom of expression.”
She also loved the solo performance by Shen Yun’s vocalist, who was trained in the traditional bel canto style.
“The tenor was extraordinary!” Ms. Seymandi stated. “The lyrics offered an important concept—it was an invitation to go beyond our limits, to overcome human littleness, and be inspired by the profoundness of traditional values.”