(Clearwisdom.net) Shen Yun Performing Arts opened at Melbourne's Arts Centre State Theatre on Tuesday, May 25, 2010, for a seven-show run. It appears that Melbourne's ethnically diverse population is enjoying Shen Yun.

Musician Frank Sablotny found the show to be "very eye opening". Mr. Sablotny produces music for film and television, including documentaries, and uses Chinese instruments in his work. He was highly impressed and intrigued by virtuoso Xiaochun Qi's performance on the erhu accompanied by classical pianist Peijon Hsieh.

Mr. Sablotny also said: "The spiritual message was fantastic, it's all very true and I understand all that. What I didn't realise is that this message is banned in China; I had no idea. It was great, different from what I expected but it was very entertaining. It was really great to understand the spirituality of the history. I loved it; it was great."

Trish Turnley, a banker, with her sister-in-law, Glenice Turnley, a retired nurse and company owner.

For Trish Turnley, the Shen Yun show turned out to exceed her expectations. Ms. Turnley, a banker, loves classical ballet, and thought she was going to be watching more of the same.

Ms. Turnley reflected on "the tradition" she had just experienced from the show "the silk, the movements, very graceful, very beautiful. It was very nice," she said. She also recalled one particular dance, Nothing Can Block the Divine Path, in which the present day persecution of the meditation practice of Falun Dafa is portrayed. "I was a bit shocked because even in my trips to China I didn't realize ... that there still is persecution for that. I didn't know that. I mean, I've been to China quite a few times and I didn't know there was any sort of oppression in that way, so that was a bit educational for me, I hadn't realized," she said.

Mr. Brownstein gave his wife the Shen Yun experience for her 77th birthday and Beverley Brownstein was happy with her gift.

Beverly Brownstein and Edward Brownstein also attended the first of seven shows. Ms. Brownstein fully enjoyed the presentation, "I loved the grace and beauty of the line work of the girls," she continued, "We're ballet fans, and I thought it was just very lovely."

Mr. Brownstein, a retired surgeon, enjoyed Shen Yun, although from a slightly different angle to that of his wife. He is still involved with Medicines sans Frontiers and Amnesty International, while continuing his medical research as well as interests in the field of human rights and ethics.

He particularly liked the contemporary story Astounding Conviction where a lone man makes a stand for his spiritual practice, Falun Gong, whose adherents are persecuted in China. Beaten and physically broken, his convictions are rewarded in miraculous ways. "The idea of the holy figures coming from the past, or coming from heaven, coming out to strengthen the people that are trying to make life better, for people on the earth, and then they would sort of give them the strength. He [the main protagonist] was broken and smashed up, beaten almost to death, his arm was broken, and they healed him and he stood up and held the flag up. So I liked that the best. It was wonderful. Wonderful symbolism."

Commenting further, Mr. Brownstein said, "Well, Falun Gong, so they just have a belief system, they're not trying to undermine the system, they just want the right to believe in something, and that's a human right, and human rights should always be allowed to be expressed."

"Yes, to express yourself freely," said Mrs. Brownstein, "I was hoping this came from mainland China, and then I thought well, maybe we'll live long enough to see that happen--who knows?"

Sources:

http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/36131/
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/36164/
http://theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/36130/