Melbourne's Regent Theatre. (Chen Ming/The Epoch Times)

Welcome to the Shen Yun Review brought to you by the SOH Network, I’m Craig Richter. Today I’ll be bringing you a selection of audience comments from recent Shen Yun Performances from around the World.

The Regent Theatre is in the heart of Melbourne, Australia, and central to almost everything in the city centre. As you climb the stairs and enter the foyer with it’s marble and brass stair cases, balconies and painted ceiling depicting knightly scenes in armour, you become aware of the luxury and regality of the building you have just entered.

The theatre seats 2,162 people on a lower and top floor as well as stalls along the theatres sides, the roof is a marvel with no less than 11 chandlers surrounding one very large chandler in a finely sculpted, domed ceiling. All this makes for a very fitting venue for the Shen Yun Performing Arts Company.

Our first interview is with Charles DeLong an 0pera singer, Charles felt as if taken to another world by the Shen Yun performance (audio).

Next we speak with Laura Anderson, chairman of the Loreale Melbourne Fashion Festival. Laura thought Shen Yun was all about spirituality and beauty (audio).

Finally we speak with Rod Dalglish General Manager of Variety, the Children’s Charity. Rod said Shen Yun was an absolutely brilliant show (audio).

The SOH Network is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For tickets and information visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Russ Ptacek, an award-winning television and investigative reporter was in the audience at the Opening Night of Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Kennedy Center Opera House on March 21.

Welcome to the Shen Yun Review brought to you by the SOH Network, I’m Craig Richter. Today I’ll be bringing you a selection of audience comments from recent Shen Yun Performances from around the World.

Washington, D.C., is a national center for the arts in the USA, and the John. F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington is home to the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington National Opera, and the Washington Ballet. With it’s crush red velvet interior and Lobmeyr crystal chandelier, which was a gift from Austria, the Kennedy Center makes a perfect venue for the amazing Shen Yun Performing Arts company.

Today’s review has a great selection of interviews starting with, Maestro Micaele Sparacino, general director of Opera Bel Canto Washington. Mr Sparacino said Shen Yun singers are among the best he’s ever heard (audio).

CBS TV Reporter Russ Ptacek said the Shen Yun performance transforms language and culture (audio).

Finally, producer Marie Frances liked the messages Shen Yun conveyed (audio).

The SOH Network is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For tickets and information visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Ms. Gehihausen, Director of International Cultural Affairs for the City of Indianapolis, highly praised Shen Yun. (Stacey Tang/The Epoch Times)

Welcome to the Shen Yun Review brought to you by the SOH Network, I’m Craig Richter. Today I’ll be bringing you a selection of audience comments from recent Shen Yun Performances from around the World.

Indianapolis is well known for it’s affiliation to sports of all kinds, it’s home to the most prestigious motor race in the Indycar series, the Indianapolis 500, the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL and more recently it was host to the Superbowl, to football fans worldwide that’s no small deal. But amongst all that adrenalin and racing fuel there’s a refined and very artistic side to Indianapolis, this comes in the form of it’s many museums and arts centres.

Today’s Shen Yun Review comes from Clowes Memorial Hall which is home to the Indianapolis Opera and the Butler Ballet as well as many International performances.

North Vernon Mayor Harold Campbell and his wife Joanne enjoyed Shen Yun for a second year, Mayor Campbell said Shen Yun made you feel good (audio).

Jane Gehlhausen director of International & Cultural Affairs in Indianapolis, thought the Chinese history shown by Shen Yun was very interesting (audio).

The SOH Network is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For tickets and information visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Memphis, Tennessee. (Courtesy of memphistravel.com)

Welcome to the Shen Yun Review brought to you by the SOH Network, I’m Craig Richter. Today I’ll be bringing you a selection of audience comments from recent Shen Yun performances from around the World.

Today’s review comes from the musically rich Memphis, Tennessee home of the blues, rock and roll and gospel. Memphis gave birth to some of the biggest names in music, B.B King, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, it’s also the home of the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. The world-class Cannon Center seats 2,100 people and is the home of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, it hosts a multitude of other events including ballet, opera, pop and jazz concerts

This week it played host to Internationally acclaimed Shen Yun Performing Arts, who brought with it, amazing cultural, visual and divine blessings, the first audience members we hear from are Nichole Toth and Andrew Braunberger, Andrew is an artist and was amazed by the performance (audio).

Diane Latham and Naomi Griffith saw the show and said Shen Yun was an outstanding cultural experience not to be missed (audio).

Musician Mary Dill thought everything about the performance was beautiful and every instrument was exciting (audio).

The SOH Network is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts. For tickets and information visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

The Peace Center for Performing Arts, Greenville, South Carolina.

Welcome to the Shen Yun Review brought to you by the SOH Network, I’m Craig Richter. Today I’ll be bringing you a selection of recent audience comments from recent Shen Yun Performances from around the World.

This weeks review comes form The Peace Center, Greenville, South Carolina, USA. The Peace Concert Hall features state-of-the-art equipment, production and support capabilities and can host any event. One of the finest performing arts venues in the Southeast, if not the nation, this 2,100-seat concert hall hosts uptowns biggest presentations. It’s an architectural and acoustical marvel, designed to provide an unparalleled performance environment.

Judy and Joe Swaim run a music publishing company and thought Shen Yun was amazing (audio).

Tom and Stephanie Vickers loved Shen Yun and thought the performance looked effortless (audio).

Sisters Monica Galea and Karen Demaria where impressed by the work that went in to putting the show together (audio).

The SOH Network is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts. For tickets and information visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

The Buell Theatre at the Devcer Centre for the Performing Arts, Colorado. (Yuan Ji / The Epoch Times)

Welcome to the Shen Yun Review brought to you by the SOH Network, I’m Craig Richter. Today I’ll be bringing you a selection of recent audience comments from recent Shen Yun Performances from around the World.

Today’s review comes from Denver, Colorado and The Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre. The theatre is designed to provide the audience with a first-rate theatrical experience featuring incredible acoustical enhancements.

The Buell is the Denver venue of choice for high-profile, travelling Broadway shows and provides an ideal setting for amplified musicals, dramatic plays and comedy acts. A versatile venue that can meet the demands of even the most complicated performances, the Buell Theatre consistently ranks as a top-grossing theatre for its size nationally.

And now onto the audience comments, firstly we have the Allen’s, Jay, Alyshia, and Sarah. Jay said he had never seen anything like it (audio).

Next we hear from Amy and Dan Holland. Amy is a council member for the town of Parker and thought Shen Yun was absolutely stunning (audio)

Finally we spoke with Jennifer Voxakis and Robert Smith, Jennifer is a dance instructor and said she was impressed with the precision (audio)

The SOH Network is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts. For tickets and information visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Curtain call at the Detroit Opera House. (The Epoch Times)

Welcome to the Shen Yun Review, the place where you get to hear what audiences around the world are making of this year’s Shen Yun, I’m Trevor Piper. With the goal of reviving China’s traditional culture Shen Yun has sent three companies across the globe, showing people the beauty and virtues of the world’s oldest, continuous civilization through the medium of classical Chinese dance.

Based in New York, Shen Yun Performing Arts aspires to create original performances that not only entertain, but more deeply educate, enrich, and inspire. The company’s rich repertory is drawn from the pages of history, universal themes, and the world around us. All the choreography and music are original.

In the last episode we finished up in Boston, Massachusetts. This week we’re heading west, through New York state and Canada’s Ontario into Michigan and the city of Detroit. All of our featured audience members saw Shen Yun during its run at the Detroit Opera House.

The theatre now known as the Detroit Opera House was originally opened in January 1922, as the Capitol Theatre. At the time of its gala première the theatre had 4,250 seats and claimed to be the fifth largest in the world. Designed by renowned Detroit architect C. Howard Crane the building was constructed with superb acoustics and in the style of the grand European opera houses. It was resplendently decorated in the Italian Renaissance style with lavish crystal chandeliers, frescoes, brass fixtures and marble stairways. Most of these features are still present today in the Detroit Opera House, making it a fitting venue for the Michigan Opera Theatre to call home.

And now a chance to hear from some of those in the audience at this grand theatre. Cynthia Cirar, a former interior designer, saw Shen Yun with three of her friends. The group, all retirees and all members of the Detroit Opera House, agreed that Shen Yun was extraordinary. Cynthia said Shen Yun was beautiful and that she loved the performance, adding she would bring friends to see it again (audio). Cynthia’s eye for design was captivated by Shen Yun (audio).

Leatha Stonestreet, a registered nurse and her daughter Tiffany Porties, a graduate recruiter, were struck by Shen Yun’s visuals. Leatha found the colours beautiful and said the animated backdrop was unique (audio). She also found it interesting to learn about Chinese culture and said she would come again (audio). Tiffany admired the creativity and technology used to create the projected backdrop as well (audio). She also appreciated the blend of East and West in the orchestra and found Shen Yun an uplifting experience (audio) .

The SOH Network is a proud supporter of Shen Yun Performing Arts. Join us again next time for more audience reviews of their all new 2012 world tour. For more information please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.com.

Curtain call at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. (The Epoch Times)

Welcome to the Shen Yun Review, where we bring you the latest on how Shen Yun Performing Art’s 2012 tour is being received by audiences around the world, I’m Trevor Piper. This week we visit two great theatres on opposite sides of the United States brought together by their hosting of Shen Yun and European styled interiors.

Shen Yun showcases classical Chinese dance and music, their mission to revive 5,000 years of traditional Chinese culture lost during the Cultural Revolution and under 60 years of communist rule in China.

Classical Chinese dance has its foundation in bearing, form, and technical skill. Leading from these central features are movements and postures, as well as jumping and tumbling techniques, all of which require rigorous training, says Shen Yun’s website.

Our first theatre today is the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. Nestled in a valley along the coastal mountains of Southern California, it is the cultural heart of San Diego North. The interior design of the centre’s fifteen-hundred seat Concert Hall is reminiscent of Europe’s classic theatres and is considered to have the finest acoustics in San Diego County.

The Concert Hall’s state-of-the-art features make it the choice venue for entertainment in San Diego and has seen it host many major productions, now adding Shen Yun to that list.

In San Diego were John and Julie Tyler with their daughter Jenna and Julie’s sister Doreen Prager. John thought everything about Shen Yun was well, just great (audio). Julie had similar feelings (audio). Doreen, who works at a Jewish temple, found Shen Yun an enlightening and uplifting experience and was struck by the richness of the costumes and elegance of the dancers (audio). Jenna, a student with an eye on art and fashion, said all the colours were inspiring and had filled her with ideas (audio).

Now we go back east to Massachusetts and the Boston Opera House which first opened its doors in 1928. Built after the French and Italian styles the accomplished theatre architect Thomas White Lamb was told to spare no expense in its design.

In 1980 it was rededicated as a home for the Opera Company of Boston. Completely restored in 2004, the theatre currently serves as the home of the Boston Ballet. The theatre’s regal surroundings, clear sight-lines and near-perfect acoustics mean every seat in the house is a good seat.

Jay Campbell, a biotechnology researcher, was fortunate enough to experience a Shen Yun performance in this grand theatre. Jay found Shen Yun to be wonderful, engaging and entertaining (audio). What struck him most though, were the similarities he saw in the spiritual messages of ancient Chinese culture and Western beliefs.

The SOH Network is a proud supporter of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For more information about the all new 2012 world tour please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Craig Huxley, film producer, musician, and inventor of instruments extraordinaire, at Shen Yun Performing Arts on Saturday afternoon, Jan. 14, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with his daughter, Fiona. (The Epoch Times)

Welcome to the Shen Yun Review where you’ll hear what audiences think about the all new 2012 Shen Yun world tour, I’m Trevor Piper. Last time we were in New York, this week we go on a journey to the west of almost two and a half thousand miles to Los Angeles.

And in case you haven’t caught on to the phenomenon that is Shen Yun, here’s a little of what you can expect. Based around a revival of Chinese classical dance and encompansing China’s numerous ethnic and folk dance styles, Shen Yun aspires to create original performances that not only entertain, but more deeply educate, enrich, and inspire. With stunning animated backdrops and a one of a kind orchestra Shen Yun is in a class of its own.

Back to Los Angeles where our journey ends at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, a fitting venue for a grand production. Boasting one of the largest stages in the United States, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with 3,200 seats is the centerpiece of the eleven-acre, four-theatre Los Angeles Music Center. The theatre’s rich decor, chandeliers and wide curving stairways provided the perfect venue for the Accademy Awards on dozens of occasions.

And now a chance to hear what the audience made of Shen Yun’s perfomance at the theatre.

We begin this week with Craig Huxley, film producer, musician, and inventor of instruments extraordinaire. Mr Huxley was fascinated by Shen Yun, admiring the dancing, it’s positive message and appreciation of China’s cultural past (audio).

So taken was he with the unique sound of the orchestra’s combination of Western and Chinese instruments, Mr Huxley said he wanted to include the erhu, an instrument with two strings, on a new movie he’s producing. Adding Shen Yun was a refreshing change from the norm (audio).

Carole Wells, famous actress, singer, and writer absolutely loved Shen Yun saying everyone should come see the show (audio). She found the show inspiring and thought provoking as it draw’s upon China’s 5,000 years of culture, including human rights stories depicting the persecution of Falun Gong, an ancient mind-body practice that is still persecuted in China today (audio).

Next we turn to comedian Drew Carey who bought eight tickets to take his friends to the show after getting a feeling it was going to be good. Mr Carey said the show was amazing and commented on the spectacular dancing (audio)

And finally this week we hear from Shenkar, a singer songwriter from Los Angeles who was inspired and energised by Shen Yun. He said he felt the wonderful production had actually transported him to China (audio).

The SOH Network is a proud supporter of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For more information about the all new 2012 world tour please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.

Welcome to this week’s Shen Yun Review where we’ll be letting you know just what audiences around the world think about recent Shen Yun performances, I’m Trevor Piper.

This week we hear from some of the people lucky enough to get tickets for the recent sell out show at the David H Koch Theatre located in New York’s Lincoln Centre. New York being the place Shen Yun Performing Art’s calls home, it is no surprise the event was a sell-out.

And in case you’re wondering what exactly Shen Yun is, I’ll take a few moments to let you know more about this unique and enchanting performance.

With its explosive techniques, synchronized movements, enchanting elegance, and expressive powers classical Chinese dance is at the core of Shen Yun’s performances. Shen Yun’s one-of-a-kind orchestra, with its all-original compositions, blends East and West like no other producing a fresh, unexpected sound.

Little needs to be said about New York’s Lincoln Centre which holds itself as the world’s leading performing arts centre. The David H Koch Theatre is a magnificent venue and home to the New York City Ballet. The theatre’s features include inlaid travertine marble floors and soaring gold leaf ceilings in the promenade area. The two and a half thousand seat auditorium has an ornately panelled gold ceiling with an immense spherical chandelier as its centrepiece.

So now onto our audience members.

First we hear from Ricco Estebian, a French singer recording in New York. Ricco was particularly struck by Shen Yun’s orchestra and singers, the sopranos in particular. Adding the show ignited the imagination and left his heart burning (audio).

We now turn to visual artist Coburn who admired the show’s creativity and beauty. Marie said she knew the dancing was going to be amazing, but didn’t expect Shen Yun to also be so visually spectacular (audio). Marie said what came across from Shen Yun were feelings of joy and peacefulness.

And finally this week we have Jeff Johnson an advertising agency manager. Jeff found Shen Yun fascinating, saying it showed him a side of China he’d never seen before (audio). Jeff said the unique orchestra allowed him to finally understand the essence of Chinese music (audio).

The SOH Network is a proud supporter of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For more information about the all new 2012 world tour please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org.