SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Is “Fantastic. Very Beautiful,’ Says Grammy-Winning Producer

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Shen Yun Is “Fantastic. Very Beautiful,’ Says Grammy-Winning Producer
Ted Perlman and Emilli Colledge enjoyed Shen Yun's evening show at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center on Feb. 24, 2024. Sherry Dong/The Epoch Times

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.”

“Fantastic, fantastic. Very beautiful. The music was beautiful—the way it combines Chinese melodies—I’ve produced records in China, mixing in the Chinese instruments with the [Western] instruments is just beautiful,” he exclaimed.

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.”

Shen Yun is the world’s leading classical Chinese dance and music company. The New York-based performing arts company offers a set of all-new programs every year showcasing classical, ethnic, and folk dances from various regions and dynasties of China.
Mr. Perlman was especially inspired by Shen Yun’s story-based dances that tell tales from ancient times to the modern day.
Reflecting on the artists’ mission to bring back spirituality and raise awareness for the ongoing persecution of people of faith by the Chinese Communist Party, Mr. Perlman said it made him feel sad.

“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.”

From Shen Yun’s performance and the people he met in China, Mr. Perlman believes “there is still a chance for the divine to be back in Chinese life.”

“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.”

Moreover, Mr. Perlman thinks Shen Yun is very educational and “it’s important for Americans to understand more about Chinese culture.”

“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.”

Reporting by Sherry Dong and Jennifer Tseng.
 The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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