Princess Sturdza said, “What I find in the show, and why I came, is both for the artistic aspect, the perfection, the work behind it, etc. But also, because of the company, because the company has a mission, and it is they who give soul to this show. That’s why this show is unique. This show has a message, and many people should understand this message.”
“On one hand, there’s the protection of religion, beliefs, and history. And the other thing is obviously the damage caused by communism, which many people have forgotten, don’t know about, or refuse to acknowledge, even though it’s an ideology that destroys the world, destroys humanity, and destroys the soul. And that’s what we find in this show, the soul,” Princess Sturdza said.
“I’m speaking to you very personally here. I was raised religiously, and I went through a very long phase where I no longer believed in God. And for some time now, not through thought, but through everything we are currently discovering in the universe, the complexity of this universe, the complexity of matter, the complexity of human beings, if only for that matter, has made me reconnect with a God, a Creator.”
Princess Sturdza added that “I would say that there is someone who created the immense complexity of the world, and even just of ourselves, of our bodies. When you know that there are eight billion of us on this planet and that we are all different, and yet we are told that we are all equal. No, we are equal in rights, but what makes humanity so rich is precisely that we are all different. That’s fantastic, and we should combine our differences to create something magnificent.”
Each performance draws from themes of spirituality and tradition, values found at the origin of traditional Chinese culture, all of which resonated deeply with Princess Sturdza.
“The world today lacks references, lacks history, lacks knowledge, and people no longer respect each other. For me, the fundamentals begin there, with respect. Respect, knowledge, and obviously a somewhat longer and more important reflection on how we got here, why we are here, and who placed us here," Princess Sturdza said.
"And I, who was truly a complete atheist, for many reasons, am now certain that there is indeed something above us that allows us to navigate life. Because life is far from a smooth ride. And we see that in the show. And that we need that strength, that moral strength, and that strength of the soul.”
Despite its tremendous success around the world, Shen Yun is unable to perform in China to this day because of their exposing the ruling regime’s human rights abuses, including their brutal persecution of faith.
“[This performance] represents a battle. It represents, first and foremost, information, and secondly, a battle. Then there is also the risk these young people are taking by going against the grain of the current world. Because let’s not forget that all the communist systems are now united," she said.
"We, as Europeans, have pushed Moscow into China’s arms, and China supports Iran. And the prospect of a free world seems very difficult to me. I see this performance beyond its artistic aspect, which is incredible, it’s magnificent, it’s extraordinarily beautiful. But beyond that, there is the soul of the show. I always come back to the same thing. It is this spirit that shines through in this message and this battle."
