(Clearwisdom.net) On the evening of February 12, 2009, Divine Performing Arts (DPA) performed at the Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin. The splendid show with dancing and songs won acclamation and warm applause from the audience throughout the evening. The performers answered the curtain call twice as the audience enthusiastically applauded and bid them farewell.

Wisconsin State Senator: I come to learn

Senator Fred Risser, President of the Wisconsin State Senate and a lawyer, and his wife were in the audience for the evening performance. During intermission, he said that the content of the show was new to him. He came to learn and enjoyed the whole performance.

He said, "It was different and I really did not know what I was going to be seeing. I found it extremely colorful and quite fascinating. I thought the backdrops were very well done and fit into the performance very well."

The senator concluded, "I found it quite an enjoyable evening and if they come back to Madison, I would definitely consider taking it in again."

Before the show, Senator Risser signed a senate resolution to welcome the DPA show to Madison. The resolution stated that the DPA show is a splendid and meaningful performing arts event to demonstrate Chinese traditional culture. The DPA show presents classical themes and divine culture and defines positive values of human nature with pure and graceful art to the audience. DPA promotes cultural exchange between east and west and provides an opportunity for the Chinese community to merge into western mainstream society.

City Councilor: I am proud of DPA

City Councilor Ms. Thry Pham-Remmele is Vietnamese. She attended the DPA show with her husband. She told the reporter that she supports multiculturalism in Madison. She said, "I know that DPA performs in many big cities. We are fortunate to invite DPA artists to come to Madison."

Ms. Pham-Remmele said that the DPA show presented information about Chinese culture and background, much of which is not known to many people. She thought it was a good thing and thus hoped people would watch the show and learn more about the culture.

She said that China has several thousand years of culture, which should be shared with the whole world. People should be proud of it. Thus, she extended her greetings and appreciation to DPA. It is a world class show. She said she would tell her city council colleagues about the show; she was proud of the DPA artists.

Opera Singer: When the curtain comes up, it is opening my heart

Romanian opera singer, Marius Farcas, felt the veils were lifting from his heart.

"When the curtain comes up, it is opening my heart, and I think this is so for all the audience, too. It raises the curtain in my heart for a very long, long time, in a very good way," he said.

Having grown up in a communist country, he could relate to the contemporary scenes in the show. One dance, Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution depicts the painful reality for millions of people in China today, as experienced by an innocent family whose father is persecuted for practicing Falun Dafa, a traditional spiritual discipline.

"I ran away from a communist country; I really do not want to be involved again with that--never again in my life!"

The show had awakened old memories for him, he said, touching parts of his being that were painful.

"I feel lots of emotion, because I am very sensitive. I try to be strong and not cry. I try not, but maybe I did cry in my body.

"A lot of the parts hit home for me. During the show lots and lots of drama, that is the reason, maybe, I feel like crying with my body."

As a professional opera singer, well-known in Romania, Marius was well-equipped to appreciate the Chinese performances. The DPA show was "wonderful," he said, particularly complimenting the singers.

"I feel very impressed with every singer. I studied bel canto and I was very surprised with these singers. I was happy to listen to them tonight, both the sopranos and the tenors. They have a lot of dramatization with their voice. The tenor with his voice just sustained like bel canto during the last part of the song."

Marius said he was intrigued with the production of the show and delighted to discover Chinese dance.

"It ... surprised me, with every legend," he said. "The expertise of their dance, the choreography was awesome. ... I am really impressed with all this performance as it was a lot of hard work."

Jokingly, he said he was happy to learn of Chinese culture beyond the mundane. "I am happy to know them (Chinese People) better than from a restaurant!"

On a more serious note, Marius added that he was grateful to have seen the show and was disappointed that DPA was only in Madison for one night.

"I enjoyed [it], really enjoyed [it]. Unfortunately they do not have another show in Madison."

Chinese audience: Singer expressed the feelings in my heart

Ms. Hu has been in the US for four years, since leaving China. She and her husband, who works for the Wisconsin government, watched the show. During intermission, Ms. Hu told the reporter, "I feel the show is wonderful because it presents Chinese culture."

Ms. Hu liked the Drummers of the Tang Court very much and also the programs showing divine beings descending from heaven. She especially liked the songs in the show. She said, "The lyrics are very touching. The tenor Ning Zheng (singing One Thought) really expressed the feelings in my heart. I like that song very much."

Ms. Hu's husband Tom Wells also liked the show very much. He said each program was very impressive.