SYDNEY, Australia—Shen Yun Performing Arts staged another artistic experience for an enthusiastic Sydney audience on Thursday night, April 23. This year the New York-based performing arts company is holding a total of eight shows in Australia’s largest city.
Shen Yun portrays traditional Chinese culture through music and Chinese classical dance, depicting myths, legends, and stories from ancient and modern-day China.
Mr. O'Leary, a singer and a musician, saw the show for the first time and loved it, saying, “[I have] never seen anything like this before, so it is quite new and fresh for me. Very enjoyable.”
Mr. O’Leary has been writing songs since the age of 14 when he first picked up the guitar and now plays at popular venues in Australia and has recently also performed in the United States.
He found the music of the show very enjoyable, saying, “Very nice, it’s got that traditional sound, Chinese music. Very nicely orchestrated and great compositions.”
Mr. O’Leary was quite moved by the dance Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution.
“I quite like the story of the father, trying to stick to his beliefs with his meditation. Yes, quite a moving piece there. I found that quite interesting.”
The dance tells the tale of a father who is persecuted for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that is banned in China. The scenes that ultimately unfold in this program present a message of hope and bespeak of a long-standing Chinese belief that good people are ultimately rewarded, even if not in this lifetime.
Shen Yun performances include a mix of Chinese classical dance as well as ethnic and folk dances. Mr. O’Leary found it great to get an insight into some of the different regions of China. He said, “Great dancing … some great technique. The two singers were amazing too, very enjoyable.”
With reporting by NTDTV, a media partner of The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts 2009 World Tour. For more information please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
