MONTREAL, Canada—The technology featured in Shen Yun Performing Arts represents a new form of art in the world, says Montreal-based architect Patrick Malard.
Mr. Malard attended the performance—his third time seeing Shen Yun—on Jan. 3 with his children at the Place des Arts.
He was fascinated by the interactive digitally animated backdrops used in the show, which project colourful landscapes and celestial paradises that provide context and excitement to each story-based dance.
“The backdrop is a new form of art,” he said. “It’s very interesting. It’s so simple, yet so effective. That’s what I like about this show.”
Mr. Malard has led residential, commercial, and industrial architecture projects since the 1980s. Starting his career in Europe, he worked in Poland and France before coming to Canada and has since been involved in projects across the country.
He said Shen Yun’s choreography and production design was very successful because it exuded a peaceful, pleasant feeling.
“It puts nice things in your mind and brings nice feelings too,” he said.
“There’s a lot of colour and movement, very nice choreography, and the mind feels very peaceful while seeing all the scenes where the dancer move.”
“It brings happiness. It’s a very pleasant experience.”
New York-based Shen Yun is a world-renowned classical Chinese dance and music company, with a mission to revive 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture.
The show features a collection of story-based classical Chinese and ethnic or folk dances that captures the essence of traditional Chinese culture. Along with the animated backdrops, the performance also includes a unique philharmonic orchestra that incorporates traditional Chinese instruments, and vocal solo performances.
Mr. Malard’s daughter Geneviève Malard was inspired by the two-stringed erhu performance. Ms. Malard has played the erhu, also known as the Chinese violin, since she was eight years old and hearing the “professional” performance in Shen Yun made her miss her former lessons.
Mr. Malard said his whole family is interested in Chinese culture, and enjoys Shen Yun because it is a rare chance to experience long-lost traditions.
“It’s a very beautiful evening,” he said.
Reporting by SOH Radio Network and Justina Wheale.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun’s New York Company will play five shows in Montreal Jan. 3-6 and one show in Quebec City Jan. 8 before going on to Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, and Toronto in its tour of eastern Canada.
For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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