Houston Audience Member Moved by the Songs of Shen Yun
HOUSTON—Lao Tzu once said, “The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.” However, Shen Yun Performing Arts is using beautiful song and dance to convey true, traditional Chinese culture.
David Roza and Alexandra Rodriguez are friends and colleagues at a nuclear security company.
Mr. Roza was especially impressed with the baritone, whose song really spoke to him.
“The baritone. Oh, my goodness. He’s amazing. With the piano, it’s a beautiful song,” he said.
Shen Yun‘s singers are trained in the traditional bel canto technique. According to the Shen Yun website, true bel canto singing in the upper register had been lost in Europe, but Shen Yun‘s singers are using this technique on stage once again.
Mr. Roza recalled that the song spoke of the “Creator coming back and creating everything anew.”
“I think it’s a wonderful message,” he added.
The text in the song spoke of “people turning to atheism and evolution when in actuality, we come from one Creator who made all of us, and I think that it’s very brave. I think that’s incredible to have a message like that. It’s wonderful to see.”
‘Telling the Story of China’
Shen Yun uses dance and music to tell stories from ancient and present-day China. Part of Shen Yun’s efforts is to raise awareness of the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong in China.
“It’s amazing and beautiful; telling the story of China,” said Mr. Roza.
“I know since the communists took over, [they began the persecution of] Falun Gong,” he said.
“It’s so uplifting to see [Shen Yun] sharing culture with us and enabling us to help support fighting back against what they’re having to endure.”
The animated backdrop is a Shen Yun patent. The technology allows the artists to switch scenes in the blink of an eye and go anywhere that the imagination pleases.
“The backdrops are incredible, absolutely brilliant … it’s something I’ve never even heard,” commented Mr. Roza.
New York-based Shen Yun puts on an all-new production every year. The costumes and backdrops reflect the fashion and architecture of ancient China while also drawing inspiration from the Heavens.
“All of the colors are just amazing. And the choreography, so much hard work and practice. It just comes alive,” said Mr. Roza.
He also expressed that he would recommend Shen Yun to others without a doubt.
“Thank them all for us. It’s amazing to be part of this,” he said.
Reporting by Sonia Wu and Maria Han.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
