LONG BEACH, Calif.—Maria Teresa Diaz is a retired opera singer from Cuba, and having both lived under a communist regime and a life in the performing arts, she felt a deep connection to what she saw in Shen Yun Performing Arts.

“Seeing this just touched my heart in such so many ways. It really did. And the show, every scene, every scenery had a message for me,” said Ms. Diaz after seeing Shen Yun at the Terrace Theater. “It was all a compound of sceneries and examples that create a story and [all of them] touched me in a way that was really something.”

“It meant a lot to me,” she said.

“I saw a little bit of sadness, but you know, but hope at the same time, because we never lose hope. Never, we never should lose hope,” she said. “If we believe in God, there must be a justice someday in the world.”

“The world is very sad right now, but I will be believing in God, and there must be a reason for it,” she added. “What the world needs now is love. That’s what we need. A lot of love. And this is what this show is all about. It’s about love.”

“It uplifted my heart. It’s just very special in every way because I love music,” she said.

Ms. Diaz added that it wasn’t just that she liked music, but felt it was her very being, and the music she was treated to in Shen Yun was beautiful.

“The orchestra is out of this world. What can I say, I really recognize good musicians, you know, because I was for years and years with musicians,” she said.

“Then the outfits are so beautiful. The colors, I love colors. I love colors. They change my life and my spirit, and the colors and the movements are sublime. So I thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to be so happy. Happy. And at the same time, you know, nostalgic,” she said.

“When you leave, your spirits are alive, uplifted,” she said.