CAGLIARI, Italy—Italy was once a center of art in Europe, and many famous composers and artists originated there. Shen Yun Performing Arts is bringing a fresh form of art to Italy and all of Europe.
“The show is beautiful. I had been meaning to see it for a while, and finally, we did it,” said Andrea Brughitta, owner of a real estate company.
“I was impressed by everything—the acrobatics, the flexibility, and their grace. It seemed like they were flying. They are beautiful,” said Mr. Brughitta.
Using dance and music, Shen Yun presents China before communism to audiences around the world.
“What is most impressive is seeing a show as a form of protest against a repressive communist system,” said Mr. Brughitta.
She mentioned that although China has now modernized and developed, it has lost part of its identity.
“We see China is growing, making incredible buildings, incredible bridges, but perhaps it has lost its true identity,” said Mr. Brughitta.
“It shocked us because I didn’t think for a moment that there were blocks that prevented us from expressing ourselves through a show. It made me think about reviewing for a moment all the times we complain about our freedom of thought here,” he said.
Ms. Casu shared his wish that Shen Yun would “continue like this, to not give up, to always show this passion. Because beyond the technical skill, a lot shines through. You can see that there is a very strong bond that goes beyond the simple artistic manifestation.”
Giuseppina Lepore, a local teacher in Sardinia, was also in the audience with a friend, a commercial lawyer from Sassari.
“It was very engaging. For us Westerners, it’s obviously a novelty. We found it very interesting from a cultural perspective,” said Ms. Lepore, a teacher.
Leonardo Da Vinci, Luciano Pavarotti, and Antonia Vivaldi are all people that Italians are proud to call their own. Ms. Lepore found Shen Yun to be unique compared to the art that Italians are used to.
“It’s a unique experience compared to our Italian shows. We have some famous stars, internationally recognized stars but this is a different kind of performance. It’s very special,” said Ms. Lepore.
