NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Renowned musician and record producer Ted “Theo” Perlman, who won a Grammy for his contributions to Burt Bacharach’s “At This Time,” attended Shen Yun’s evening performance on Feb. 24. He was accompanied by his wife, Emilli Colledge.
Sitting in the audience of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Mr. Perlman couldn’t stop praising the beauty of Shen Yun. He thought the whole show was “unbelievably good. Fantastic.”
The blending “was perfect because the different tones and different intervals were really put together well. The musicians are fantastic and the dance was beautiful.”
“My friends, I also do music for a church in Hangzhou. They’ve always had a hard time putting their music out because they’re Christians and they’re persecuted. Yet they just keep going.”
“I know the government thinks [religious beliefs] are a threat to their authority, but the Chinese people I know are very spiritual—whether they are Buddhists or Christians.”
“It’s traditional Chinese culture. For people into the arts and people who dance—they should be aware and see the different movements in Chinese music and how their intervals are different from Western music. They should be aware of [these things] and not just read about China on the news or social media,” he expressed.
Ms. Colledge, who serves as a chaplain, also enjoyed the show. She thought it was “such a lovely representation of humanity and the divine together.”
“It’s beautiful to see this imagery in the time that we’re living in right now,” she stated.
“To see that harmony and peace in the midst of sadness and loss—I’ve just been really inspired. It’s really beautiful to see.”