Shen Yun Performing Arts arrived in Providence, Rhode Island, last weekend.
Local morning radio host Phil Paleologos received a Shen Yun ticket as a Christmas present from his wife.
“People nowadays go to the doctors, the psychiatrists for pills for antidepressants. This [Shen Yun] is the antidepressant,” Mr. Paleologos said. “A one-of-a-kind, miraculous production that will lift your spirits and souls.
“The performers—their tremendous discipline, the music, the lights, and all of the creation behind it all for the message that you have—the beauty of China, so amazing. And yet we don’t see that today with what things are how things are there. It is just the opposite. And I’m glad that this is an ambassador for truth, and for beauty. And what China is truly all about the 5,000 years.”
Many enjoyed the ancient Chinese culture with their family—and some even brought their staff.
Ken Thompson, president of Thompson insurance group, brought 12 of his staff to see the performance. “Fantastic. Fantastic. And what each act gets better and better, you know, the costumes, the dance, everything was fantastic.”
“It’s brilliant,” said Jack Henry, owner of Brookside Radiology Consultants. “I want to cry. That’s how good it is.”
Mr. Paleologos said: “The inspiration that comes from this lifts the soul, but it brings people together. Something that we haven’t had. This world is going in different directions. And yet this beauty has truly touched our hearts. It is beautiful.”
Shen Yun also aims to revive the traditional Bel Canto technique.
“When she was singing, I felt all the burdens lift,” Mr. Paleologos described the soprano singer Rachael Yu Ming Bastick.
“She’s beautiful, beautiful, beautiful song,” said Claire Stadtmueller, who is a soprano herself. “And of course, it was in line with all of your other messages today, was a very uplifting humanity to the divine. And she’s excellent.”
As a performer herself, she said Shen Yun is the way performing arts should be—uplifting.
“It is very much depicted here. That man should aspire to divinity and the qualities of courage and goodness,” she added. “This is uplifting and culture should be because the culture, the theater, the arts, help to improve society. And if the society is always listening to negative messages and trash, and bad clothing, and bad language, it infiltrates the society and lowers the culture. And this has happened in our society. It’s tragic. And so something like this performance Shen Yun is uplifting and showing history, culture, morality, beauty, it’s amazing.”
“Today, we need simple truths to inspire us. A lot of people are thirsting for this, and this is what this production brings out. And when you have that it has to be pursued, it has to be talked about. And I’ll talk about it on the radio when I go back,” said Mr. Paleologos.
Shen Yun Performing Arts will be performing across the world till May this year.
NTD News, Providence, Rhode Island
