(Minghui.org) The world-renowned New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts made a seven-show stopover in Germany, staging three performances at the esteemed Berlin Internationales Congress Centrum, on March 22-24, and four at Frankfurt’s Jahrhunderthalle, on March 29-31, 2013.
Journalist Sees Shen Yun Three Days in a Row
Author and journalist Roland Ropers
After seeing Shen Yun three days in a row, author and journalist Roland R. Ropers, said, “I couldn’t possibly get all the nuances that the show imparted in just one sitting, no matter how good my memory was.
“Every time I saw [the show], I had a new understanding. You suddenly realize there’s another aspect to a scene.”
He continued, “The third time was the pivotal point for understanding the divine and life on earth, [that is], understanding what being on ‘this side’ and the ‘other side’ really means.”
Each 10-minute Shen Yun dance set is accompanied by digital backdrops and a live orchestra, which transports audiences across time and space.
Although Mr. Ropers has generally never seen a performance more than once, he said he was “enriched by having seen the [Shen Yun] show for the third time.”
He described several aspects of the performance that touched him most, including the dancers who “moved naturally and with such grace that it embodies beauty and gracefulness.”
He remarked about the vocal soloists, saying they “have a great voice,” and that he “really enjoyed the message they imparted. The words contained the divine and that was what made me listen especially carefully.”
Mr. Ropers talked about how the lyrics gave him a sense of direction in life.
“The singers told me to find my origins and my inner self—that will be instrumental as we head for our real home,” he said. “This was also presented through the background images and the music.”
He also had high praise for the live orchestra, which combines both classical Western and Chinese instruments.
“The tone elicited by the combination of Western and Eastern musical instruments is a rarity,” he said. “This was on the highest philharmonic level, and it pleased me very much to listen to the music.”
Mr. Ropers said he felt “good and enriched and I have experienced an evening that didn’t deplete my energies. I’m not tired, but free of stress.
“I hope this show conquers the world and the hearts of the people—they will learn why we were born,” he said. “It really represents a transformation that can happen if we let ourselves get involved. It is an appeal to humanity, calling them to wake up!”
Shen Yun “Like Heaven on Earth”
Mr. Ropers continued, “It’s like heaven on earth—the heaven we hope to reach someday. I am just amazed that a tradition can be presented so life-like.”
Several dance sets portrayed the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution of the spiritual practice, Falun Gong.
Mr. Ropers said that he was aware of the regime’s persecution of innocent people, and said that after watching the performance, “It is amazing how a horrible regime can be exposed in such a congenial manner.
“This is something for the regime to think about and it should consider bringing back the old traditions.”
The journalist said that he has studied religions before, and noticed that “These [Shen Yun] performers are no missionaries, something that truly impressed me.
“This show does not lecture on spirituality, but emphasizes the divine and is more oriented towards the law of the cosmos. It is something exceptional.”
Mr. Ropers elaborated, “When compared to Western mysticism, this show is a leader, in that it represents a lightness and an airiness. We have been elevated to a higher level, while this show presents an ease of entry.”
He suggested that Westerners need to focus more on “effortlessness,” saying, “It is stunning how this show brings this ‘airiness’ to the forefront,” he said.
The journalist said that the “The texts of the songs touched my heart deeply, because they have so much spirituality in them.
“The text spoke of our lives’ origin, and that we have to find our origins again. This statement was of great interest to me. This is truly a spiritual statement.”
“I’m Invigorated” by Shen Yun, Says Opera Publisher
Opera Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Clauspeter Koscielny
Also in the audience was Clauspeter Koscielny, publisher and editor-in-chief of the opera magazine Oprheus International.
“Now, I’m invigorated and have the vitality I need for this year and I can accept that I have to wait another year to see this performance again in Berlin,” Mr. Koscielny remarked after the show.
The editor described Shen Yun as “beautiful and tasteful; everything that can be expressed by the word ‘aesthetic.’
“It is wonderful to be able to see this performance just once every year and then one is able to look forward to the show next year,” he explained.
Having seen the show several times already, Mr. Koscielny discovered a new aspect in the last performance.
“This year I found poetry in the performance. Everything was perfectly executed, serene, and I had calm feeling throughout the show,” he said.
Although the Berlin weather was cold with snow still on the street, Mr. Koscielny said he felt that “spring was in the body language of the dancers,” and that the spring season “must be around the corner since Shen Yun has graced us with its presence.”
The editor extolled the vocal skills of Shen Yun’s bel canto soloists.
“The soprano and tenor were excellent and the other singers were also very good. The pianist accompanying the singers was sensitive to the needs of the singer,” he said.
While the singers perform, the audience can read the lyrics in both Chinese and the local language projected in the background.
Mr. Koscielny enjoyed this feature, saying, “reading the words of the songs was very helpful” and that the lyrics carried a universal message that transcended both East and West.
“They didn’t seem to be only Eastern thoughts but also contained how we feel and think in the West. One only needs to listen and let the song sink into one’s being,” he said.
Mr. Koscielny explained that by listening deeply and openly, one is able to experience the performance more profoundly.
“One needs to absorb the other worldliness, meaning, one has to just sit and slowly absorb what is radiated by the performers. If one is able to open oneself, open one’s feelings, one immerses oneself in the aura and experiences it deeply,” he remarked.
He also talked about how the blend of modern technology with ancient art enhanced his experience of the show.
“The high-tech backdrops are fascinating. They are an important part of making the Shen Yun show so successful,” he enthused.
Through Shen Yun’s digital backdrop, which displays animated characters, audiences experience a variety of scenery such as the high Himalayas, the vast plains of Mongolia, and heavenly paradises.
“What I will take with is me that while the origin of the dances is ancient, they are as effective today as they were thousands of years ago,” he explained.
“This is proof that body language is a universal language that can be understood by everyone around the world.
“It is so important because we don’t need to learn Chinese or German to understand what Shen Yun is telling its audience,” he said.
Businessman Brings a Busload of People to Shen Yun
Businessman David Strebel
One audience member, David Strebel, hired a bus so that his ten employees and friends could ride together to the venue.
Mr. Strebel is the president of the Rotary Club Wiesbaden Kochbrunnen and a dealer of Asian cultural artifacts and Asian jewelry.
“The performance is wonderful and far exceeds my expectations concerning the colors, the gorgeous costumes, and the dancer’s performance,” said the businessman. “I’m delighted that this performance is marvelous.
“It is so amazing how the stories, which we really don’t know about, are presented so effortlessly and in such a playful manner,” he added.
Making reference to Shen Yun’s animated backdrops, which are projected behind the dancers, Mr. Strebel said, “It is beyond my comprehension how the technical aspect of the backdrop presentations and scenes were able to be performed on stage, at the same time. I just didn’t expect such a marvelous show tonight.
“I have read up on some of the scenes and understand that they were drawn from events that happened in ancient times,” he said.
He talked about how Shen Yun presented the aspect of divinity, throughout its different performances.
“It is very difficult to touch on the divine, and that gods bring inspiration to mankind,” he said. “I’m in some way a realist, but I believe that one can’t ignore totally the existence of the divine. Despite my being a modern individual who understands the world as it exists, I’m certain that there is much we can’t see or know about.
“The aspect of the show that touches on the divine is important to everyone, but more importantly, to people that are at a crossroads and are distressed,” he added.
“It will provide a foothold in a difficult world. This is something that the show tells me, and which is of great importance.”
Renowned Conductor: “It Is Important that Shen Yun Exists”
Renowned German conductor Constantin Trinks
Also enjoying the show was Constantin Trinks, a renowned German conductor, who attended the performance because he wanted to know why Shen Yun was considered a “one-of-a-kind orchestra, with its all-original compositions, blends East and West like no other.”
“I’m favorably impressed. This is the first time I was exposed to an orchestra that includes Western and Chinese instruments, and whose musicians are of both backgrounds,” he said.
“To be honest—and to give you a good description of what I thought I heard—I must absorb the sounds in my mind for a few days,” said Mr. Trinks. “It is most amazing that this show has live music—and the compositions were written by the group.
“The orchestra was unique,” he added. “The technique was concise, and the conductor was first class. The allure and attraction to this orchestra stems from the fact that its musicians and instruments blend Western and Eastern instruments.”
He continued, “I must admit that the combination was foreign to what my ears are accustomed to, but they harmonized beautifully.
“There was not a single thing that would make me say that these tones are out of tune. This is a marvelous mix—completely new to my ears. But one can only say that they harmonize wonderfully.
“I must repeat again that I need to let everything I have heard sink in because of the novelty of it,” he said. “I’m definitely inspired. I have heard the music in its original form, which impressed me deeply.”
Mr. Trinks concluded, “I want to tell the world, but especially China, that it is important that an organization such as the Shen Yun exists because it has a mission for the world’s people.”
“This Show Is Far Beyond Our Expectations,” Says CEO
CEO of Hesse Bank, Eckhard Hassebrock
Eckhard Hassebrock, CEO at the Commerce and Infrastructure Bank Hessen, attended the show with his wife Hobby.
After hearing about Shen Yun’s colorful and exhilarating performances of classical Chinese dance and music, Mr. Eckhard decided to surprise his wife by bringing her to the second night performance in Frankfurt.
“It felt just right to present my wife with a ticket to the show,” he said, adding, “I had no clue what to expect.
“This is intermission, so we have only seen half of the show. But we both are amazed. This show is far beyond our expectations.”
Having heard what Shen Yun was supposed to represent, he couldn’t wait to see if it was truly as great as advertised.
“The dance performance was outstanding. I told my wife that seeing this show makes one want to visit China,” said Mr. Hassebrock.
The CEO said that the backdrops helped transition the visual effects of the scenes on stage.
“What was especially great were the translated words of the songs and the images on the backdrop,” he said. “They were of great help to the audience. It enhances the Chinese cultural experience.
“The text on the backdrop was an eye opener. It helped me sense the depth of the Chinese culture. It was marvelous how it was done.
“I will tell others about the show,” Mr. Hassebrock concluded. “It was great that Frankfurters learned about the diversity of other cultures.”
Rotary Club VP: Shen Yun “A Once-in-a-lifetime Opportunity”
VP of Frankfurt Rotary Club, Frank Wittchen
When Frank Wittchen, VP of the Frankfurt Rotary Club, first talked to his two teenagers about going to the Shen Yun show, they both asked, "Do I have to go?" In the end, however, they loved the performance.
Mr. Wittchen decided to see the show after having read on the Shen Yun website, “For 5,000 years divine culture flourished in the land of China. Humanity’s treasure was nearly lost, but through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is bringing back this glorious culture.”
“Wonderful! It was a great evening of music and entertainment which passed much too fast,” said Mr. Wittchen. “I’m very impressed with what I have seen.”
“My two children, ages 16 and 18, had the typical teenager response when I told them to come and see the show: ‘Do I have to go?’” he explained. “Now, they are just the opposite and love the show. It was a wonderful and entertaining evening for all of us.
“I do travel to China a lot and know quite a bit about the country. But what I have seen tonight, is totally different from what I have seen [in China].
“I have learned tonight about a rich culture, a colorful tradition, and amazing dance methods. This is the first time I have come across this type of show. That’s why I find it interesting and am glad to have learned about the diversity in the Chinese culture.”
He added, “Now I know two Chinas—the one I met while on my travels and the more traditional and richer China,” he added. “I want to say that this experience today broadened my mind.”
He remarked about Shen Yun’s animated backdrops, saying they were “totally new for me, was very enriching and interesting.
“Watching the dancers showed me the fervor I also hold for my job,” he said. “What was most amazing was that all these dancers worked as a perfect team. The synchronization was impressive.
“As a rotary club member, I will ask everyone to go and see this show,” concluded Mr. Wittchen. “It is a different world from what you are used to. What I have seen today is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I can only give it the highest kudos.”
Sources: theEpochTimes.com
