TEMPE, Ariz.—After much longing for it, Mr. Rod Chandler was able to attend the final performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company at the ASU Gammage Theater, on March 9.

Mr. Rod Chandler, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the State of Washington, District 8, said that it was his first time watching Shen Yun, and that the performance very much exceeded his expectation. “Oh, I loved it! This is beautiful!” he exclaimed.

“I'd seen [that Shen Yun] was in Denver where we lived, and I saw some ads on television, and we decided to go, and then time just got away, and [Shen Yun] was gone. And then we saw that it was here. So we decided to come see it here,” said Mr. Chandler.

Independent and nonprofit, New York-based Shen Yun was established in 2006 by artists from around the world with the mission of reviving China’s divinely inspired traditional Chinese culture, which had nearly been completely destroyed by the current regime in China over the last several decades.

Some of the pieces touch on modern China, particularly the spiritual devastation that has taken place at the hands of the current Chinese regime, which has actively undermined and destroyed religious and spiritual institutions.

Mr. Chandler said he was impressed that Shen Yun conveys through its performance that, “There’s a lack of freedom in China, especially religious freedom. And I thought this show expressed that very well. And it’s very appropriate, because that’s the case.”

“Forcing atheism upon society, the Chinese Communist Party has for decades launched various campaigns—most notably the Cultural Revolution—to destroy not only cultural sites, temples, and relics, but also the Chinese people’s belief in virtue and faith in the divine,” explains the website.

Mr. Chandler had high praises for every aspect of the performance, “It’s just so beautifully done! The backdrops, the costumes, the quality of the dancing, the performers. That was just really, really well done!”

Mr. Chandler referred to Shen Yun’s stage backdrops, which are an integral part of the performance as dancers and mythical characters appear on screen one moment, and on stage the next.

Shen Yun music enchanted Mr. Chandler, “I love classical music, and I thought that the music was just gorgeous and very well performed.”

He was delighted by the Shen Yun orchestra, “It was wonderful, yes, very very nice effect!”

Each dance is supported by original music played by the Shen Yun Orchestra that blends ancient Chinese instruments, such as the erhu, pipa, and suona, with a full Western symphony orchestra. According to the website, “The sound produced is uniquely pleasing to the ear.”

Mr. Chandler praised the Shen Yun’s award-winning vocalists who sing Chinese lyrics using the bel canto style while retaining Chinese diction. He said, “Oh, you might have heard somebody ordering Bravo. Well, I was one of them.”

Summing up the entire evening, Mr. Chandler said, “Well, it’s a ‘Don’t Miss It Program.’ It really is! And just so colorful, so beautiful, so well done! I really highly recommend it!”

Reporting by Jana Li and Thanh Le

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.