(Minghui.org) During the third week of April 2024, Shen Yun Performing Arts continued to fill theaters in France, Germany, Canada, and the United States.
Shen Yun North America Company at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College in Purchase, New York, on April 21. The company presented five sold-out performances in Purchase April 18–21. (The Epoch Times)
Elizabeth Farnum at the Shen Yun performance in Purchase on April 18 (The Epoch Times)
Award-winning vocalist Elizabeth Farnum saw Shen Yun in Purchase on April 18.
“The performance was very beautiful from the beginning till the end. You’re amazed once the curtain rose. Oh my God, so beautiful!” she said.
“The accomplishment of everyone involved in the performance was impressive,” Ms. Farnum said.
Tom Ringwald at the Shen Yun performance in Purchase on April 18 (The Epoch Times)
Tom Ringwald, vice president of operations at ConEdison Solutions, saw Shen Yun in Purchase on April 18.
“It was outstanding,” he said, “especially the opening scene. It just brought tears to my eyes. I mean it.”
“It was just overwhelmingly beautiful. I can’t explain it. I was overwhelmed with the beauty, and the simplicity, and yet stunning, stunning visual arrangement.
“I can’t believe how you do that. That’s amazing... Words can’t explain it. It’s just dumbfounding how well done it is. And I go to a lot of Broadway shows. This is one of my favorites, by far.
“I’m going to tell all my friends that they need to come. That it’s visually stunning and you really should come to this show,” Mr. Ringwald said.
Shen Yun International Company at the Place des Arts - Théâtre Maisonneuve in Montreal, Canada, on April 21. The company presented six performances in Montreal April 17–21, all to packed houses. (The Epoch Times)
MPs Dan Muys (left) and Marilyn Gladu (4th from left), and Senator Marilou McPhedran (3rd from left) pose with Shen Yun performers and a local organizer at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on April 15. MPs Muys and Gladu also presented recognition to the company. (NTD television)
MP Marilyn Gladu at the Shen Yun performance in Ottawa on April 15 (NTD Television)
“It was beautiful and just so awesome. The costumes and the colors and the culture—really nice,” said MP Marilyn Gladu after seeing the performance in Ottawa on April 15.
“There are so many good stories. There was a magical fish, and there was the restaurant, and all the different acts. I think it’s very clever how they put all of those things together.
“I think all Chinese people can rejoice in this. Across the world, people are experiencing this [performance], and it will restore the ancient Chinese culture to its former glory.
“The fact that it’s grown to eight [companies] that are going across the world shows the appetite for people to learn about it, to enjoy it. It’s just a wonderful arts performance,” she said.
She singled out the dance stories depicting the ongoing persecution of Falun Dafa in China. “I think it’s a great theme, and all the way through, the kindness of Falun Dafa—the peacefulness, the tranquility, the meditation—all of the goodness was seen in the performance,” Ms. Gladu said.
She noted that modern-day people could benefit from traditional Chinese culture’s emphasis on kindness and meditative practices. “People today are very stressed, with lots of mental health issues. A little more meditation, a little more kindness to one another—all of these good things, I think, will help take us to a better place,” Ms. Gladu said.
“If you haven’t seen [Shen Yun], you’ve got to see it. It’s something that you will never forget,” she said.
MP Dan Muys at the Shen Yun performance in Ottawa on April 15 (NTD Television)
“It’s encouraging to see that this art form, again, with thousands of years of history, has not only been saved from disappearing, but has flourished actually,” said MP Dan Muys, who saw Shen Yun in Ottawa on April 15. This was his second time seeing Shen Yun.
“Hopefully, there’ll be a day in the future, without the Chinese Communist Party, when that is allowed to continue to flourish. Because there are thousands of years of this history that we want to see, that we’re fortunate to see here in North America, but unfortunately not in China,” he said.
Churence Rogers MP at the Shen Yun performance in Ottawa on April 15 (NTD Television)
“It is truly important that we all like to preserve the tradition that we are associated with. And certainly this group is portraying the traditional parts of China and stories about Chinese culture and historic events,” Churence Rogers MP said after seeing the April 15 show in Ottawa.
“They’re incredibly skilled and energetic... It’s inspirational because it’s so bright and cheery, and they’re full of energy. It’s good to see,” he said.
Shen Yun New Era Company at L'Amphithéâtre 3000 in Lyon, France, on April 16.(The Epoch Times)
The company presented eight performances in Lyon April 16–21. Tickets were sold out around December of last year. The performances attracted residents from different parts of the country as well as theatergoers from other countries such as Belgium and Switzerland.
Pierre and Vassily Vico at the Shen Yun performance in Lyon on April 18 (The Epoch Times)
Pierre Vico, a doctor from Belgium, and his wife Vassily Vico saw Shen Yun in Lyon on April 18.
“Truly stunning. Like enlightenment. The synchronicity of every dance was impressive. This must’ve been the result of countless hours of hard work and training,” Mr. Vico said.
“[The performance] delivered messages of beauty, peace, and grace,” he said.
Christophe and Valérie Bernard at the Shen Yun performance in Lyon on April 21 (The Epoch Times)
Christophe Bernard, an officer at the Ministry of Armed Forces, and his wife Valérie Bernard saw Shen Yun in Lyon on April 21.
“Although the weather is gloomy outside, there was sunshine on the stage,” said Mr. Bernard.
“Comfortable physically and mentally. It was a wonderful time.
“[The live orchestra presented] a kind of very pleasant timbre, which allowed us to be more immersed in the cultural atmosphere presented,” he said.
Shen Yun World Company at the Theater am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany, on April 21. The company presented six sold-out performances in Berlin April 17–21. (The Epoch Times)
Christian Fitzner and his wife Julia at the Shen Yun performance in Berlin on April 21 (The Epoch Times)
Christian Fitzner, a conductor, and his wife Julia saw Shen Yun in Berlin on April 21.
“This is top level, world-class level,” Mr. Fitzner said.
“The precision of the coordination of Shen Yun’s staging, projection technology, choreography, and music reached an incredible level. At the beginning, I didn’t think it was live [musical] performance as the performance was extremely precise and we could hear it very clearly. I thought it was a recording, because it’s very difficult to find the exact speed to match the dancing. There were so many changes of different speeds. Really super precise, wonderful,” he said.
He also said of the erhu soloist, “She performed so well, very exquisite. Very expressive with only two strings and a bow and able to express such rich sounds. So diverse. Also very pure. Her performance was very clean.”
For more information about performance times, locations, and tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.