“Go and see the show” – Shen Yun Performing Arts in Mississauga Canada

Posted by Jason Wegener on Sunday, January 24th, 2010

The Living Arts Centre, Mississauga, Canada (By Smaku/Flickr)

Welcome to the SOH Radio network, a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts.

My name is Jason Wegener and in this program we’ll be looking at the latest performance by the Shen Yun Touring Company at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Canada.

We spoke with some of the audience after the show to find out what they thought of their Shen Yun experience. First up, we’ll hear from Devin McCalla who works at the George Washington University in DC and had this to say about the set.

McCalla: I mean the whole thing, the colours, and the movement, and it was nice that they have the commentators to give a little information about each piece but it was almost because of the background like watching something on TV but the characters were so alive, it was very beautiful.

And this is what Bob Delaney, a regular to the opera also had to say.

Delaney: I thought the show was wonderful I can compare it to just 70’s great opera Aida a year ago when I was in Havana we saw the famous Tropicana, this is kind of show that anybody who goes to Tropicana would look at this and say wow, its the same as Tropicana, would certainly compare to the great show in Paris, the costumes were wonderful, I found the music very interesting, it almost has a combination North America and Chinese blend and some part of it, actually sound Irish and other parts sound like they were borrowed from Marin Copeland one of great American composer, it was a wonderful experience, and I sincerely hope that it comes back next year, and be more shows here in Living Art centre.

Now we’ll hear from Glen Murray a Liberal candidate who thought the show was extraordinary.

Murray: It was an extraordinary show, it was beautiful, the dancing was extraordinary, the dances were agile, and graceful and athletic, the music was wonderful, the opera was heart-warming, it was just so beautiful, and I also thought it’s important because it celebrated for me as well the Falun Gong and the courage of people in very adverse situation, as our friend George Smith said earlier all of us stand with you and hope for peace and hope for the terrible thing that are happening stop…. well, I have been to China and I was in Chengzhong and Chengdu, Nanjing and Beijing, Hong Kong, and Taiwan and Taipei, Taichung, and I learn more about traditional Chinese culture here about the dancing and the musical tradition and the folk tradition than I learn in China because you don’t see it, I don’t think people know this that you don’t see this in China anymore, a lot has been suppressed, or forgotten so it’s wonderful to see the culture the Tibet, so many people have not seen which has been restored and invigorated and celebrated on stage.

And another MP, Paul Szabo, had this to say.

Szabo: Well, it’s one element, it’s important indicator of things like discipline, appreciation for fundamental of art and of talents or precision, of appreciation of excellence, it’s a form of expression, the choreography, the colours of the costumes, the expression, the movement, all of those things, take one element away and that wasn’t as good as tonight, they all work together, they’re synergy. Synergy is when the whole is greater than the sum of parts, and tonight it was, it was great, it was really, it was very nice to see, my wife was saying did you notice as the curtain coming down, nobody move, not even a centimetre until the curtain was right down, you didn’t see oh we got to rush to go, no the professionalism you can just see it, it was the discipline that we hold our position, the smiling I mean my goodness, my face is getting sore, trying to smile a long as some of these performers were smiling trough their various position but it’s a very well refined troupe, and very exciting to watch, if anybody ever want to a recommendation I would say go and see the show, and then you will share with other and then it will grow and grow and grow”

And finally from the Mayor who wants the Shen Yun performance back every year.

Mississauga’s Mayor: It’s such a beautiful show. The Chinese are wonderful dancers; I’ve seen many of their shows. I have seen some in Hong Kong and Mainland China, and they are exceptional dancers. The colour is so beautiful, and what I’ve seen in the show so far is just a beautiful presentation. The show is skilled, the dance as well as the colourful costumes. The Chinese are very colourful people, they are very colourful, very dedicated and I am so proud of all the Chinese living in Mississauga. This show is exceptional and I am absolutely delighted as mayor and it is being held at the Living Art Centre, and tonight, the house is packed, isn’t that great? Being travelling around Canada and I am so delighted that Mississauga had put on this beautiful, beautiful presentation. Congratulations to all of them… come back yearly… every year! We’d love to have you here!

So there you have it… another successful performance by the Shen Yun Performing Arts tour, I’m Jason Wegener reporting for the SOH Radio Network