Internationally-acclaimed Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company staged nine shows to excited and enthusiastic theatergoers at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan on March 20th - 25th, 2012. Taipei is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Taiwan and boasts of one of the largest collections of Chinese artifacts and artworks in the world.
Famous Taiwanese soprano: 'I think the performance tonight is very meaningful'
Among the many talented guests attending the Shen Yun Performing Arts show was Gloria Su, a world renown Taiwanese soprano who performs in the United States and Asia.
She was full of praise for the bel canto style of the award-winning Shen Yun solo vocalists. “Every one of them sang with power,” she said.
“Every single programme had its uniqueness. … I was completely absorbed by it! The dancing was wonderful, as well as the music and lighting. I think this was one-of-a-kind. The overall presentation with music, dancing, and backdrop - it was simply a rare beauty.”
Ms. Su commented on the flawless interplay between the music and dance. “The mere combination of classical Chinese dance with such lively music was already wonderful. And the overall production was very moving as well.
“The bel canto style of singing was outstanding. The soloists really immersed themselves into the lyrics. Based on their voice and expression, each soloist has their unique character. The music put forth by these [soloists] was really powerful. Every one of them had participated in vocal competitions and was extremely professional. It was wonderful to witness such a performance.”
The digitally animated backdrop, which is a unique feature of Shen Yun, especially impressed Ms. Su. “The technology was wonderful. With animation, the performers simply vanished. It was so real. The transition between the backdrop and the stage was flawless.”
Ms. Su, who has an extensive musical background, praised the music aspect of the performance: “Whether it was the technique, the piano, or the live orchestra, everything was done professionally. It was superb. The attitude of every single soloist and performer commands respect.”
She commented on the overall meaning the show had for her. “The music itself was beautiful and when it was combined with the dance, a spiritual message was delivered that could be beneficial to the heart and soul. … I think the performance tonight is very meaningful.”
Well known violinist: The Shen Yun show is marvellous
Also in the audience was Mr. Juin-Ying Lee, professor and chairman of the Institute of Music at National Chiao Tung University, and director of the Pro Arte Trio.
In an interview after the show, Mr. Lee spoke highly of Shen Yun. “The level of performance from both the artists and the musicians of the Shen Yun Orchestra is very high. All the scenes on the stage and the choreography are very outstanding.”
In commenting on the Shen Yun Orchestra, he said, “The overall performance of the orchestra is very high class.”
Mr. Lee said he was well aware of the countless hours of training that the orchestra members must have gone through. “Member of the Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra have very good discipline, and the music they played was in great unison.”
He talked about how wonderfully synchronized the whole show was, from the dynamic backdrops to the music and the dance. Mr. Lee said he thought the programs were very creative and touching, in particular, How The Monkey King Came To Be, and The Dafa Practitioners’ Magical Encounter.
Mr. Lee said he saw Shen Yun as a very exquisite artistic performance, and that it stands out in the areas of fine art design, dancing, music, sound effects, performing arts and artists facial expressions. He said that the performers are “very devoted,” adding, “In fact, the design of the entire performance is marvellous.”
Violinist: Shen Yun 'is full of artistic value’
Violinist Kengming Tsai, a faculty member of the National Taiwan University of Arts, said after the show that “Shen Yun is full of artistic value.”
Mr. Tsai thoroughly enjoyed every programme, saying they were wonderful and unique. He especially took note of how well coordinated each dance set was with the live orchestral music.
“The music and the dance were harmonised very delicately, and the dance movements were perfectly matched with the climax of the music.”
Similar to music having emotions, he said, the dance also has emotions in the movements, which can be interpreted with different musical notes.
“Some simple actions, such as hitting, were accompanied by percussion music. When jumping, the string music played to represent jumping. For example, in the programme Martial Arts Training Ground, the brass and trumpets were frequently used to show the different styles [of movements]. I think that they [the interpretation of movements with music] were very good and richly presented,” he explained.
Mr. Tsai, who graduated from the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna, Austria is a former concertmaster in the Taipei Century Symphony Orchestra. He currently serves as the concertmaster of the Taiwan Pro Arte Orchestra, and is a faculty member of the National Taiwan University of Arts.
He said that for art to have value, it must be able to attract and move the audience. “Shen Yun has beautiful things, including the beauty of music and dance, which can attract the audience. By integrating the art of music with that of dance, Wow!, it was really very beautiful, which captivated the audience and made them want more,” he enthused.
He said he was moved by the richness of the different themes in China’s long history. “There were some stories, some folk dances, such as the [Taiwanese] Amei and the Qiang dances, Lady Mu Guiying, Journey to the West, and some literary culture. Actually its themes were very rich.”
He was quite taken by the erhu solo performance by Xiaochun Qi, exclaiming, “Wow! There are so many talented artists in the orchestra. The erhu was played amazingly. From the melody I could sense the effort exerted by the player. It’s really very touching. I wondered how she could simultaneously coordinate her skills of left and right hands so well to achieve such perfection. I eagerly look forward to her next performance.”
Tenor Hong Ming's solo performance especially caught Mr. Tsai's attention. He said the tenor's vibrato and singing skills were very natural. “The way I judge a vocalist is whether his skills or voice can touch my heart. As a musician, I thought ‘Wow!’ how can his timbre be so beautiful and how can he sing the lyrics so coherently? I always pay attention to this perspective. In fact, I watched Shen Yun based on the viewpoint of artistic skills.”
Famous Taiwanese singer: 'Everybody should come to see the Shen Yun performance'
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| Famous Taiwanese evergreen singing star Mr. Rain Hsien attends Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company' performance, on March 23rd, 2012. (Courtesy of The Epoch Times) |
Also enjoying the show was famous senior Taiwanese singer Rain Hsieh. “The music is great, and the synchronisation of the music and dances is really very good,” he exclaimed.
“The colours of the costumes are very beautiful and righteous. I feel my whole body is very relaxed and comfortable. Everybody should come to see the performance, otherwise they will regret it.”
He urged people not to miss this opportunity. He said, “Everybody should come to see the Shen Yun performance.”
“The artists’ dancing skills are extraordinary. The colors [of the costumes and backdrops] are very beautiful,” Mr. Hsieh said.
He marvelled at the fact that the music and the dances are all original and created every year by the company’s own composers and choreographers. Mr. Hsieh said, “Great music! Amazing how it can harmonise so well with the dances. Do they compose the music first, or do they create the choreography first?” he asked.
Mr. Hsieh was especially moved by the programme, The Dafa Practitioner’s Magical Encounter, which depicted the persecution of Falun Dafa, a traditional spiritual discipline, in China today.
He said that the scenes portraying the rescue of Dafa practitioners by fairies “would be of benefit to everyone in various aspects.”
Mr. Hsieh concluded by saying, on his return to Taichung, he will recommend Shen Yun to his friends “to take this opportunity to see the performance.”
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