“Chinese culture is such an amazing thing, so I'm glad to be able to experience a little bit of it tonight,” said Stewart. “I enjoy the show, it's exhilarating. The performances are otherworldly. To get a little hint of Chinese culture, thousands of years. To be able to come here and get a little taste of that, it's an exceptional experience.”
“It's so powerful. It's an explosion of color and emotion and talent and such skill. The discipline, I can't imagine the discipline, but also the selflessness that the artists are giving. Everything is just so perfectly executed, and there's such a depth of feeling. It's communicating such a strong message and such a strong story. It's an honor to be here,” said Angela Ward, a performing arts director.
Costa Mesa Council Member Mike Buley said, “when I saw all the beautiful dresses and the dancing, it just struck me as the most beautiful bouquet that I've seen.”
“We love hearing the different vignettes of the different stories and the different dances and how they tie to the history of China and kind of what's happening now,” said Gina Codd, a senior human resources director.
“I love the costumes and the hair pieces. It's just everything is taken to the little details. So it's a really beautiful, beautiful piece,” said Adriana Buley, a floral designer.
“It really was emotional. It makes you feel that, and it just causes you to think about the persecution in the world. There's a sadness to it and injustice to it,” said Mike Buley. “You're so inspiring and you feel so much joy and so much beauty. And I just am grateful that they've come to the city of the arts and performed here for us.”
“The message I got from the song is pure peace. That's the message that I got from the song. There might have been some challenges, but the peacefulness from the song, it soothed me,” said Stewart. “Her voice told a story that took me on a journey, very beautiful.”
“The message that we've seen here. It's about forbearance and compassion, tolerance, kindness,” said Ward. “We have to pass it on from generation to generation, so that the stories survive and so that this beautiful art form survives.”
“I'm just so thankful to be able to be here this evening, to be able to share this with my family and to be able to take part in it. So thank you so much,” said Stewart.
