United States: Airline Pilot says "It Was the Most Beautiful Show I Have Ever Seen!"

Leon de Silva, a real estate developer, brought his friend, Helen Lee, an acupuncturist, to see the Splendour because he had seen an advertisement on television and he thought she would like it. "She is enjoying it," he said. Mr. de Silva and Ms. Lee are ballroom dancing enthusiasts. He explained, "We were expecting a lot of dancing. It was very artistic. The girls' hand movements were of particular interest to us, because women use hand movements in ballroom dancing."

"Some of the dancing is similar to Korean dancing," explained Ms. Lee, who is from Korea. She understood the Chinese stories because, "I am very interested in them, especially those from the Tang Dynasty. I enjoyed it very much!"

"It was the most beautiful show I have ever seen!" exclaimed Shapour, a Delta Airline pilot who had never seen a live Chinese show before. He liked everything. "It was magnificent. The sound, the music, the colour, the introductions, the quality, the individual performances - they were all magnificent. I will never forget it." He was impressed by the "methods that were used in the show to convey the suppression of traditional Chinese culture, music, and folklore by the Chinese government. I think the directors and the producers did a great job of bringing this message to the world."

As a former citizen of the Soviet Union, accountant Tatiana Mikicanski is familiar with the suppression of a communist government. "Ancient culture is probably suppressed in today's China," she said. She specifically took the day off to see the show. "Nymphs of the Sea" was her favourite performance. The Splendour inspired her to learn more and read more about ancient China.