CHICAGO—Out of the Chicago cold and into the warmth of the vintage Civic Opera House, where Shen Yun meets Dr. Andrew Wilbur, M.D. and family who came to the performance on Friday night.
“I like it very much,” said Dr. Wilbur. “The costumes are fantastic and the dancing is superb. The cultural aspect is very interesting.”
China, with its 5000 years of civilization, has an enormous cultural heritage. China has a rich overall culture, but regionally speaking, each part of China has its own cultural uniqueness and heritage.
“There’s such a long tradition of dance and theater kind of in an operatic sense,” continued Dr. Wilbur. “But, it’s different from what we’re used to in our tradition. So, it’s very interesting to see the differences in some of what I assume are modern adaptations of older Chinese operatic techniques.”
Shen Yun’s portrayal of traditional cultural elements often depicts morals and values that were common to people of the past.
“The stories they’re educational,” added Dr. Wilbur. “We brought our children here, so I think they’re interested in seeing the similarities in those kinds of folktales, very traditional.”
Shen Yun’s digital backdrop makes the performance unique in another aspect. The music, in its use of both Western and Chinese instruments, is another trademark of Shen Yun.
“The synthesis of the Chinese musical tradition and with the Western kind of style orchestra is very fascinating. I think it’s very well performed. The performers are excellent,” said Dr. Wilbur.
“Actually, we went before, a couple of years ago we saw the advertisement, there wasn’t a lot of buildup for it the way there are for many other kinds of shows so that people kind of have to know about it to want to go,” commented Dr. Wilbur.
“It’s visually exciting,” continued Dr. Wilbur. “Very well performed and so different that it’s very interesting. We love it!”
Reporting by Michelle Chen and Paul Darin
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006
