MONTREAL, Canada—Liliana Pardo, a project coordinator at Place des Arts, thoroughly enjoyed Shen Yun’s evening performance at the venue’s Théâtre Maisonneuve on April 18.
Since the artists promise a brand-new program of dance and music every year, Ms. Pardo “didn’t want to pass up the chance to experience it.”
“It’s truly an experience worth seeing and sharing,” she said.
“It’s a wonderful show. Every time we see it, we discover new things. I really like the color, the quality of the choreography, and the quality of the stories behind it. It allowed us to look at and understand a very distant and ancient culture. It’s always a privilege to see it, like a little window into this wonderful country.”
For 5,000 years, China’s civilization flourished under the population’s shared belief that the divine will bless those who uphold traditional moral values. Since the CCP’s violent takeover, these beliefs have been erased and replaced with atheism.
Ms. Pardo couldn’t agree more.
“It’s a great mission. It’s wonderful that someone can keep ancestral traditions alive in these days,” she expressed.
Watching the performance, Ms. Pardo felt a roller coaster of emotions—“a bit of everything,” she said.
“There’s a bit of joy, surprise, and sometimes sadness too. Above all, you feel a sense of tranquility—like you’re a part of something greater, it’s a collective feeling. It’s really, very, very moving.”
She also said she enjoyed the interpretation of the different pieces of music when performed on different instruments—“particularly the Chinese ones.”
Using classical Western orchestration as the foundation, Shen Yun’s original compositions highlight traditional Chinese instruments such as the two-stringed erhu and the pipa—an ancient Chinese lute.
Moreover, Ms. Pardo enjoyed Shen Yun’s message about “justice, generosity, and helping others.” She said she thought these were excellent values to showcase.
For her, being a good person means to “hold on and be kind to each other and respect other people’s choices.”
“I’m a religious person, and I think having a belief, whatever it may be, allows us to let go of certain things that we cannot control, and we never feel alone,” Ms. Pardo said.
“I liked [Shen Yun’s] depiction of the divine because it’s daring. Not everyone is capable of expressing [their faith]. It’s good.”
