PHILADELPHIA—Company manager Michael Isakoff attended Shen Yun Performing Arts’ opening show at the Miller Theater on April 15. His sister had long hoped to see a performance for years, so Mr. Isakoff purchased tickets as a gift to celebrate her 40th birthday.
The artists’ mission is to return to the world’s stage the glory and beauty of China’s 5,000 years of divinely inspired culture.
“I love the Monkey King, that was wonderful,” he said. “I think that was the first [that] they had the integration between the screen and the person jumping back there. [The performer] didn’t miss a beat.”
“I don’t think most people realized that they were going to integrate the screen in the background, which I thought was very good. … You stay immersed. Very immersive.”
“I loved the music. … My favorite is to watch the orchestra perform in-sync with the performers. They’re just so organized, and the choreography is very good and very organized,” Mr. Isakoff shared. “I’m thoroughly enjoying it.”
Drawing on a classical Western orchestra as a foundation, Shen Yun’s original compositions highlight traditional Chinese melodies and instruments, such as the two-stringed erhu and the ancient lute, the pipa.
Reflecting on the company’s mission to bring back traditional culture and spiritual beliefs, Mr. Isakoff expressed strong support.
“It’s very important to remember where we came from,” he said. “Chinese history goes back a very long time.” He added that he would recommend the performance to friends and family as an opportunity to experience “Chinese culture and heritage.”
“It’s worth it,” Mr. Isakoff said.
