SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

‘Magnificent’: Toronto City Councillor Lily Cheng Applauds Shen Yun’s Art That Bridges Cultures

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‘Magnificent’: Toronto City Councillor Lily Cheng Applauds Shen Yun’s Art That Bridges Cultures
Lily Cheng, Toronto City Councillor for Ward 18, Willowdale, attended the Shen Yun performance with her family at the Four Seasons Centres for the Performing Arts on the evening of April 6, 2024. The Epoch Times
TORONTO—Toronto city councillor Lily Cheng attended the Shen Yun performance at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on April 6 with her husband and their daughter.
Born in Canada to a family of Taiwanese immigrants, Ms. Cheng emphasized the role that the arts play as a bridge for sharing cultures.

“I think arts has a lot to do with how we can build bridges and share culture, and I think it’s great that the arts are being shared. People like my children, who are born Canadian or Chinese, have a chance to see and hear the music and dance of China,” she said.

“For me, as a mom and someone who was born in Canada, I’m grateful that I can see a culture that I don’t get to see on a regular basis that is actually part of my roots as well.”

Ms. Cheng, who represents Ward 18, Willowdale, described the performance as “an interesting tour through the different regions of China.”

“I like how there are little stories. It’s multiple stories throughout the evening that you can learn from,” she said.

Ms. Cheng lauded the quality of the live orchestra and also expressed appreciation for the solo erhu performance. The erhu is a Chinese two-stringed bowed instrument that dates back to ancient times.

“The orchestra was magnificent, and I really, really liked the erhu soloist. She was incredible,” she said.

Referring to the stories depicting human rights violations in modern-day China, particularly the persecution faced by practitioners of the spiritual practice Falun Dafa, Ms. Cheng noted the contribution of the arts in delivering such important narratives.

“The arts is always a way to tell important stories, so I think they’re sharing the life experience of some people that, for many of us, who would never know these stories unless it comes to the stage,” she said.

Since its foundation in 2006, Shen Yun has toured the world with a mission to revive the authentic Chinese tradition and culture through music and dance. Ms. Cheng expressed her appreciation for the efforts of Shen Yun’s artists in their dedication to this goal.

“Thank you for your hard work to bring stories and music and beautiful dance to the different corners of the world,” she said. “Culture cannot be lost. It allows us to understand ourselves better and more.”

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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