“Clearly, this is not a performance you see every day. The synchronization, the costumes, the live music—all of these are undeniably strong points. But overall, it’s the complete package. It’s a show that’s truly unique, something you don’t see everywhere. It was absolutely beautiful,” said Ms. Raffaelli. She saw the performance with Unberto Santos, a director, on Dec. 28 at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.
New York-based Shen Yun is the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company and is credited with the revival of the ancient art form. Like ballet, classical Chinese dance has its own comprehensive and systematic way of training, forms, and postures, but it also has a history of thousands of years.
Founded in 2006, the arts group has a mission to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization—China before communism.
“Honestly, in the first 10 minutes, I cried. I have to say it was incredibly moving. I’m not just saying that—I really mean it. When the curtain opened and I saw the first image, the first scene, I immediately started crying,” Ms. Raffaelli said.
From there on, she only found more to admire.
“The performance is steeped in tradition, and you can see the effort to communicate the culture as it was in the past,” she said. “As a choreographer, what struck me the most is the perfection—because here we’re talking about perfection. Everyone was completely synchronized, perfectly identical in their movements. Even their facial expressions managed to convey the story directly without the need for words.”
“I hope they hear these compliments often because they are genuine artists and professionals. Their performance was impeccable. It’s not just about talent and artistry—it’s also about discipline and hard work, which I am certain they have put in,” she said.
For Ms. Raffaelli, seeing Shen Yun was “a dream of mine finally come true.”
Mr. Santos said they were lucky to be seated in the front row, where he could see every beautiful detail.
“It was all absolutely stunning. The choreography was breathtakingly beautiful, the choice of costumes, the music ... on so many levels, it was truly, truly incredible,” Mr. Santos said.
“Everything—from the music to the sound effects—was choreographed to perfection,” he added. He noted that the otherwise classical orchestra included several unusual instruments—ancient Chinese instruments and some Chinese percussion, which expanded the orchestra’s ability to create the needed sound effects.
“The diversity and variety of the instruments were remarkable and very interesting to witness,” he said, adding he felt “moved, inspired, and deeply impressed.”
Also in the audience was Giovannini Lidhai, the principal of a private school, who wished her students could see the performance.
“It is very important, also because spreading cultures is synonymous with freedom of expression, and therefore it is important for everyone,” she said.
Ms. Lidhai added that young minds would especially benefit from seeing Shen Yun, which presents the divinely inspired traditional Chinese culture.
“It is very important, above all, in my opinion, to spread the concept of spirituality because it is being lost even among young people, so bringing them closer to a spirituality for me is only a way to enrich them from an individual, personal point of view,” Ms. Lidhai said.
“The fact of having a relationship between human beings and divine spirits, the divine spirit, is a way to unite all cultures, so it’s a fundamental aspect, in my opinion, a common thread of all cultures,” she said.
“Absolutely, yes, come to see it because it enriches you, and it really leaves you with a wealth inside that you can transmit, spread to others,” Ms. Lidhai said.
