Shen Yun Performing Arts visited the French city of Nantes from Feb. 13 to 18. Some theatergoers said watching the performance was a “magical experience,” sometimes leaving them with tears in their eyes.
François Colin, the former director of a campsite chain, said, “You’re a bit overwhelmed by the sets, by this fantastic magic that we didn’t know about—that I didn’t know about, with the screens showing all kinds of magical things.” He added that he’s “on cloud nine, I need to take a breath. It’s wonderful.”
Catherine Grandin, an executive for a social assistance administration, said: “Sometimes you really want to cry. But it’s also a lot of emotion and joy. It’s something that touches us deeply and we don’t know how to express it.” She added, “How can I put it into words? Because it’s so beautiful.”
Ancient Chinese people believed that their culture was given to them by the divine. Its values are rooted in spirituality, something Shen Yun highlights on stage.
Loïc Delaunay, a professor of law, said: “We find elegance, sensitivity, aesthetics, Chinese aesthetics, and also spiritual research. It’s something I’m very interested in.”
Shen Yun’s live music combines Chinese instruments with a traditional Western orchestra. A music composer commended the unique combination of East and West.
Orlane Duret, a musical composer for film, said that what he likes is “this mix with the Western orchestra, with some Chinese instruments. It’s really very soothing and you want to stay there, in fact it goes by very, very quickly and you want to stay there for a long time.” He added: “I felt something spiritual—in any case, yes, it’s true that it heals [a person’s] inside. So it feels good.”
Patricia Berna-Lemoigne, a former theater director, said: “When we are watching your show, we finally feel that there’s something else. It’s good to have something to support us in the face of all the difficulties we encounter in the world. It’s a window of love, happiness, and joy.”
Miss Grandin said: “I’m discovering it and I find it very joyful and colorful. It’s something that brings a lot of emotions, and it’s a nice surprise. It’s something you keep in your memory and it connects you to something bigger, perhaps.”
Shen Yun is now in Tours, France, for five shows from Feb. 22 to 25.
NTD News, Nantes, France
