Shen Yun ‘Really Wonderful’, Says Principal Clarinetist for the Canadian Opera Company
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Dominic Desautels and his son at Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto on April 5, 2022. The Epoch Times
TORONTO—Dominic Desautels, principal clarinetist at the Canadian Opera Company, had been wanting to see Shen Yun Performing Arts for a while before he finally found a chance to see the dance company perform at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto on April 5.
“I loved it. It was absolutely gorgeous. It was very special,” said Mr. Desautels, who is also an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto’s faculty of music.
“Everything was just gorgeous, beautiful, colorful, and very expressive. And the orchestra sounded flawless. The dancing was just beautiful. It was really, really wonderful.”
Based in New York, Shen Yun presents classical Chinese dance and music, aiming to revive the culture of China as it was before communism.
The performing arts company boasts a unique orchestra that combines traditional Chinese instruments with Western instruments into a classical Western symphony orchestra, creating a masterful blend of the two musical traditions.
Mr. Desautels said the blending was “seamless.”
“I loved the combination of these instruments and sounds, and it was beautifully put together,” he said. “Really fabulous.”
Mr. Desautels said he'd be back to see Shen Yun again and recommends that others come and see the performance for themselves.
“Don’t hesitate, and just go. It’s beautiful.”
Dance and Color
Elena Livertovsk (L) and Beth Edney at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto on April 5, 2022. The Epoch Times
Elena Livertovsky, a former professional dancer, was impressed with the classical Chinese dance performed by Shen Yun’s dancers.
“I love the flexibility and the smoothness. ... The jumps are incredible,” she said.
In addition to the dances, Ms. Livertovsky said she was captivated by all of the colors in the performance.
“I love the costumes. The color combinations ... are incredible.”
Ms. Livertovsky noted that besides the artistic aspects, those watching Shen Yun also get to learn more about Chinese culture.
“[It] was very educational,” she said.
Uplifting
Dean Baxendale at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto on April 5, 2022. The Epoch Times
Dean Baxendale, a Toronto-based publisher, said Shen Yun is a “phenomenal” production overall.
What was especially striking for him was a story-based dance that depicted the persecution of the Falun Dafa spiritual meditation practice in China today and the state-sanctioned organ harvesting from Falun Dafa adherents occurring under the communist regime.
“It’s an issue that I, as a publisher, am exposing around the world with a number of my authors,” said Mr. Baxendale, whose company, Optimum Publishing International, has recently published the bestseller “Wilful Blindess.”
“Unfortunately, a lot of people still within the Western culture do not understand that the Chinese Communist Party has hijacked much of the previous culture, from Buddha, right on through, over ... 2,000 years, and they have replaced the religious, social elements with their own take on what the world is about. And unfortunately, that is, I think, really a way in which people don’t really understand just how the Chinese Communist Party is oppressing so many people within China.”
Shen Yun, said Mr. Baxendale, conveys that spiritual essence and is very uplifting.
“You can feel that in the way that they dance and they move. And I think they bring ... that historic element and that intersection with God and with Earth in a very spiritual way and present that to the audience,” he said.
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