On the afternoon of March 9 at Germany’s Leipzig Opera House, the curtain rose to reveal a burst of music, color, and dance. The display was the opening act from Shen Yun Performing Arts, a performing arts company dedicated to reviving traditional Chinese culture. Shen Yun’s artists received a standing ovation from the packed theater, plus four curtain calls.
Heidrun Müller, the former chief of protocol in the state of Saxony, said the show was: “Wonderfully beautiful. Very, very harmonious, very charming. Paired with this artistry, [the dancers] are so light and move so easily across the stage. And in the choreography, nobody stands out individually, but everyone is synchronized, and everything is just right.”
Janett Heinze, a sales manager, said: “the colors, the clothes, the costumes, the charisma of the dancers. It was simply harmonious; everything was just perfect.”
“Everything from the beginning to the end makes my heart so full of emotion. It brings forward a lot of feelings and makes my heart beat faster,” said Binh Le, a film director.
Dr. Hussein Hasham Jinah, a professor of philosophy and sociology, said: “that was fantastic. And this choreography, combining [the screen] behind with the [dancers], I liked it very much, very much. Words cannot describe this for me, indescribable.”
Ms. Müller also worked as a dancer and director at the Berlin State Opera and the Dresden Semperoper. She echoed praise for Shen Yun’s uniqueness. She said that she’s “enchanted by the beautiful harmony and the elegant professionalism that the dancers have.” Ms. Müller added: “it’s nice that you paired together, the movie [animated backdrop] and the dance. I’ve never seen such a thing before. And it’s amazing and simply a joy.”
Shen Yun brings a plethora of musical and dance pieces to the stage, depicting legends, myths, and historical events from China’s 5,000 years of culture. Ancient Chinese people believed their traditions were grounded in high moral standards, virtue, and belief in the divine.
Linda Fischer, a life coach and clinic owner, said that she has “never seen anything like it before, presenting art on a stage in such a way. And I’ve always felt very close to Chinese culture. I’m interested in it very much and so of course I was very excited. It was my first time at such an event, and I found it really great how the dancers presented the history and the culture of China on stage. I’ve been really impressed so far by that.”
Dr. Jinah said: “non-violence, peace, love for each other, and the idea of divinity within people. Accumulation of wealth, greed, violence, and aggressiveness have no place in [this world]. I’ve really internalized this message today.”
Ms. Fischer added: “today people live with more modern elements of life, while the spiritual aspect is not quite seen, and swept under the rug. And that’s why, I think, it’s really important and right that [Shen Yun] brings this to people’s attention again. That we don’t just dive in this big modern world, but also [remember] the original, the spiritual [roots], from where we come from.”
Ms. Müller said: “I can only highly recommend it. Fingers crossed that you have great success everywhere, because today was a big success.”
Dr. Jinah also said: “it will be in my memory forever, and it will never be forgotten. I will always remember this performance.”
René Heinze, an IT manager, said: “if you can find the opportunity to get a seat sometime this year or next year, you definitely want to come. We’ll probably come back next year when [Shen Yun] comes again to the area. Definitely.”
The city of Leipzig is known for its close ties to classical composers Bach, Mendelssohn, and Wagner. After four performances there, Shen Yun’s next stop in Germany will be the capital, Berlin.
NTD News, Leipzig, Germany
