BERLIN—With three curtain calls and cheering applause, Shen Yun Performing Arts’ new European tour premiere was warmly received by Berlin audience members.
On Dec. 28, the curtain rose for the opening night of the Shen Yun European Tour 2023 in Berlin. The Theater am Potsdamer Platz once again played host to the artistic group from New York, whose mission is to revive China’s traditional culture.
The total number of performances in Europe will include at least 13 countries and more than 20 cities. From January to May, the artists will perform in countries including Germany, Great Britain, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Spain, and Italy.
Those who attended the nearly sold-out premiere in Berlin were enthusiastic and praised the performance.
“I enjoyed it very much, excellent,” said Paul Koehne, mayor of Drebkau.
“There must be so much training involved to achieve such brilliance, such grace,” said Birgit Heinrich, an attorney.
“It has so much warmth and so many values. I’m really delighted,” said author Karola Hagen.
Some could barely decide what they liked most.
“Really everything: the dancers, the costumes, the messages received through dance, the dancers incorporating the digital backdrop,” said Thorsten Januschowski, a manager in the automobile industry.
“This mixture of dance and music … singing that was very harmonious and truly spectacular,” said Elena Seib, an associate real estate attorney. “The different colors … the costumes were fantastic. They really expressed the magnificence of Chinese culture.”
But Seib also found deeper meaning conveyed in the performance.
“The kindness, the joy, the love that’s in us, in each one of us. And that is always up to us to unfold it. And I think this performance also conveyed that if we open our heart and share the love and goodness with everyone around us, our surroundings will feel that and they will also be willing to open up their hearts to us.”
Hagen had a similar feeling: “I hope that we are approaching a new age where other values are in demand—inner values, not material values.”
Shen Yun is currently touring in 180 cities across five continents. And this year’s season will last all the way until the beginning of May.
NTD News, Berlin, Germany
