(Minghui.org) The Shen Yun Performing Arts 2012 World Tour made a much anticipated stop at the Performance Center Performance Hall of Taoyuan County, in Taoyuan City, Taiwan, staging four breathtaking shows on April 6-8, 2012. Primarily an industrial city, Taoyuan is often referred to as the gateway of Taiwan.
Opera Singer: 'Unimaginable sound' from the Shen Yun Orchestra
Wang Dian attended the Shen Yun Performing Arts show in Taoyuan
Among the many delighted guests at the Shen Yun show was Wang Dian, a member of a professional choir in Frankfurt, Germany.
When he saw the Shen Yun performance he was astonished. “Every piece impressed me. I know that they must have worked painstakingly to achieve what they did. Please pass on my congratulations to the Shen Yun artists!”
Mr. Wang sang in Italian, German, and French operas. “I have always performed art of other cultures and not my own, which is something that moves me the most.”
“Being a performer, if you can move yourself, you can definitely move the audience. Shen Yun artists perform their own culture and deem Chinese culture as an invaluable treasure, and that is why they can bring us such a spectacular performance,” he explained.
Mr. Wang believes that the feeling for beauty and art is something that transcends race and politics, which is one of the reasons that Shen Yun touched him in a deep way.
“At the most touching moments, normally you just say ‘wow' to express the extreme emotions in your heart because there are no words capable of describing that kind of sensation and inspiration,” he said.
Mr. Wang was equally impressed by the Shen Yun Orchestra, which combines classical Western and traditional Chinese instruments. “Not only do they not contradict each other, they create a win-win situation for each other and an unimaginable sound effect, truly magnificent!” he exclaimed.
According to Mr. Wang, there is usually some kind of contradiction when Eastern and Western music instruments perform together, such as their timbres.
However, “Shen Yun’s orchestra handpicked the best parts of the two and magnified them! The aesthetic effect is multiplied and expanded. What a fantastic job!”
Mr. Wang also commented on the music composition and the conducting, which he said were “terrific!” He also praised the precision of the music with the artists on stage. “I can see the rigorous work behind the scenes and the ample preparation work. The artists are magnificent. At every moment the music coordination is smooth and seamless.”
When he was told that the Chinese Communist Party will not allow Shen Yun to tour China, he said that it was a loss for the Chinese people. “This is our tradition and when the time comes, people in China will be able to see Shen Yun. After all, there is power in beautiful things.”
Hakka Music Composer: Shen Yun "the most outstanding" performance ever seen
Also in the audience was Mr. Tang Hwa-Ying, a Hakka music composer and director of the Taoyuan Philharmonic Chorus. He is also principal of Dongmen Elementary School. “I have seen so many art performances in Taiwan and I think Shen Yun Performing Arts is the most outstanding of them all,” said Mr. Tang.
“When I was here last year, I was very impressed with the production of the entire program. The backdrop projection had the well-known landscapes and scenes, and the artists danced like they were part of the scenes. This is Shen Yun’s novelty,” Mr. Tang explained, pointing out the unique elements in Shen Yun’s performance.
“When the characters flew down and disappeared, the artists appeared on the stage out of nowhere, and all the movements matched the music seamlessly. It’s not easy to do,” Mr. Tang explained.
He was particularly impressed with the dance of Taiwan’s Amei ethnic group "In The Mountains." “The Shen Yun artists’ movements are even prettier than those of the Amei people. Shen Yun is truly the pride of the Chinese,” he said.
Being a composer of more than 200 Hakka songs, Mr. Tang thought highly of the Shen Yun Orchestra. “The live music is definitely as good as top international orchestras. Shen Yun did so much for the performance. I think it is something worth complimenting.
“It is not easy to put Chinese musical instruments with the Western music instruments in an orchestra. There needs to be a great level of coordination, which is not easy. Shen Yun’s composers did a magnificent job!
“The tenor had an enchanting voice and superb technique. His voice is so high and powerful!” Mr. Tang said, adding that he liked both of the tenors’ performances. He still remembered tenor Guan Guimin from last year, “He is also an incredible soloist!”
County Council Member: Shen Yun an "impeccable performance"
Hsinchu County Council member Yi-Xien Zhao attended the Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company’s performance with his entire family.
Also taking in the show was Hsinchu County council member Yi-Xien Zhao, who was accompanied by his entire family.
After the show concluded, Mr. Zhao said, “Shen Yun’s performance was indeed very wonderful. The artists were so professional and devoted that their performance was impeccable.”
He was so taken by the show that he was considering sending his daughter to Shen Yun to learn classical Chinese dance.
Mr. Zhao was clearly touched by the performance, “It was great! I was deeply moved. I fully agree with the values of Chinese culture, as our great Chinese cultural community is a realm of divinely inspired culture. I was very much touched throughout the performance. And there was a kind of excitement in my heart especially, as I felt the meaning of life in the program.”
Mr. Zhao said he admired the Shen Yun performers. “I found that every artist performed wholeheartedly, and their spirits are really admirable.”
Regarding the dance set, "How the Monkey King Came to Be," he said, “[It is] very creative. With the help of digital technology, the traditional Chinese legendary story adapted from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West is well presented with dance.”
As a Hsinchu County council member, Mr. Zhao’s business card is printed with a color photo of a group of aborigines dancing together. He said, “I especially like the program of the Taiwanese Amei Dance because I am a Hsinchu County Council aboriginal member.”
Mr. Zhao concluded, “I think the U.S.-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has upgraded the level of the Taiwan Amei tribe’s dance. It makes me realize that the Taiwanese aboriginal dance can also be modified with professionalism, so as to promote it to the international stage.”
County Councilor: Shen Yun "Simply terrific and amazing!"
Taoyuan County Councilor Li Li-Chu (L) and County Political Consultant Peng Wu-Kun attended Shen Yun Performing Arts in Taoyuan.
Taoyuan County councilor Li Li-Chu thinks Shen Yun is “Simply terrific and amazing! Adding, “I feel very comfortable and uplifted!”
“The performance is enchanting! It’s especially good because it combines the classical and graceful Chinese dance and well-known stories. It presents classical dance and traditional culture to the world’s people,” Ms. Li enthused.
Ms. Li praised the artists’ costumes, saying, “Gorgeous! The costumes bring out the traditional clothes and show the subtle beauty of Chinese women.
“The unique costumes match the different themes in the pieces. The fabric of the costumes are of great quality and the delicate texture brings out the graceful charm of the traditional beauty.”
The costumes not only bring out the feminine charm but also the strength and masculinity of the men. “The texture of the silk is put to its best use to allow the male artists to show a bit of tenderness in their strength and power. Brilliant!”
Referring to the several bel canto style solo vocalists, Ms. Li said, “The soloists are able to extend their voices throughout the entire theater without a microphone. Incredible!”
Ms. Li also praised Shen Yun’s digital animated backdrops that expand the stage. “The scenes on the backdrops look so real and the design is exquisite! A great combination of high-tech and cultural art,” she said.
County Councilor: Shen Yun lives up to its name
Mr. Huising Liao attended the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance in Taoyuan.
Mr. Huising Liao, a Taoyuan County councilor, said that Shen Yun really lives up to its name. “I think it’s very appropriate to be named ‘Shen Yun.’” He was very impressed by the fact that Shen Yun could reach the realm of “Showing the wonders between imagination and reality!”
Mr. Liao was grateful that Shen Yun was able to successfully blend traditional Chinese culture and arts into its performance, which was totally unique from any shows he'd seen before.
He said that Shen Yun was well-organized in all respects, including the costume design, choreography, stage lighting, and backdrops. “The performance is really worth seeing. It’s also our Taoyuan citizens’ blessing to have Shen Yun performing in Taoyuan,” he said.
Mr. Liao was especially impressed by the programs "Crazy Ji Saves the Day" and "Mu Guiying Commands the Troops," and the perfect synchronization between the animated backdrops and the dancers, as well as the wonderful stage effects. “The coordination was fabulous. The backdrops were perfect! It is so spectacular,” he said.
Huising Liao said that he has been to many countries around the world and noted that Falun Gong is practiced throughout the entire world, and is very welcomed by local people.
He added, “As this is a worldwide trend, I hope that the Chinese Communist regime changes its attitude toward Falun Gong, and supports Falun Gong positively.
Sources:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/opera-singer-shen-yun-orchestra-creates-an-unimaginable-sound-effect-217893.html
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/hakka-music-composer-shen-yun-most-outstanding-performance-ever-seen-218085.html
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/county-council-member-shen-yun-impeccable-performance-217928.html
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/member-of-county-council-shen-yun-simply-terrific-217910.html
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/shen-yun-on-tour/county-councilor-she-yun-deserves-its-name-218094.html
Category: Shen Yun Performing Arts
