LINKöPING, Sweden–As the Shen Yun Performing Arts European Tour reached Sweden, on April 6, the first venue, Konsert & Kongress in the city of Linköping, was sold out. The audience in this university city in the southeast part of the country gave the New York-based performing arts company standing ovations.
Among that cheering crowd was Per-Anders Andersson, Project Manager at a major international company, who also attended a Shen Yun performance last year. Mr. Andersson wanted to share the experience this time with a friend, journalist Anna Hötzel, who had not seen a Shen Yun performance before.
Ms. Hötzel said that she was pleased beyond expectation. Not being too familiar with traditional Chinese culture, she found the evening “very exciting.” According to its website, Shen Yun aims to revive China’s 5,000 years of divine culture through breathtaking music and dance.
“The performances were amazing. They have incredible skills,” Ms. Hötzel said.
Shen Yun performances feature many unique aspects besides exhilarating dance, including an orchestra that combines traditional Chinese instruments with a western orchestra, stunning animated digital backdrops, and award-winning vocalists. The performances also occasionally include solo performances of erhu, or “Chinese violin,” by virtuoso Xiaochun Qi.
According to the Shen Yun website, the erhu, or “Chinese violin”, is one of the most important Chinese instruments, with a 4,000-year history.
“The woman [Xiaochun Qi] who played that two-stringed instrument [the erhu], that was extraordinary. She was just incredibly talented,” Ms. Hötzel said.
Mr. Andersson said that the experience he had on Sunday in Linköping was even more powerful than the one he had last year.
“Indeed, an amazing performance, in many ways. I had seen it before, and it was really worthwhile seeing it again, to return to that same experience,” he said. “I believe your understanding of history may grow for every time you see a performance like this.”
Mr. Andersson and Ms. Hötzel were also fascinated by the digital backdrops. According to the Shen Yun website, the backdrop team “creates vividly animated settings, extending the stage and transporting the audience to a world where heaven and earth are one.”
“That was very exciting. The animation was great. It’s hard to explain, you really have to see it for yourself,” Ms. Hötzel said.
Mr. Andersson concurred: “There was a sense of perfection when they [the dancers] would take off into the background. Absolutely amazing,” he said.
Mr. Andersson was also struck by the energy of the performers.
“I was touched by their presence, everyone was completely present in the moment, and really gave their all for the performance. That is something that will stay with me,” he said.
“I would definitely recommend this performance,” Ms. Hötzel concluded.
Reporting by NTD Television and Pirjo Svensson
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
