On the afternoon of April 14, Shen Yun Performing Arts appeared on stage for its fourth and final performance at Théâtre de Beaulieu in Lausanne, Switzerland. The curtain opened to a packed audience, which later gave Shen Yun two curtain calls and enthusiastic applause. Audience members described the show as “magnificent.”
Calogero Massimiliano Moscato, the chairman of the Geneva MBC Circle, said, “I think it was fantastic. It’s pure. You can see that the artists give a lot of themselves. You feel immersed, you feel immersed a bit in this China [being shown].”
Linda Chevalier, the president of the French Expatriates Union, said, “I think it’s magnificent. Visually it’s magical. The colors, the dancers, everything is spectacular. But what really stands out is the message conveyed by the dance scenes.”
“It seems to be within themselves,” said Herve Prettre, vice president of the Geneva MBC Circle. “The spirituality gives them the strength to perform it. This is just perfection and I’m really flabbergasted, extremely impressed by their performance and their love for doing it.”
Florence Conti, the CEO of a construction company said, “I came with my daughters, Nastasia and Roxanne, and we really enjoyed this unforgettable show, where art is at its very best. With a beauty, a perfection of choreography and artistry that is very rare today. It’s really unique in the world.”
Mr. Moscato explained how he brought a group of fifteen to watch the performance. “I think the show speaks for itself. My friends are all happy. I saw them. I watched a bit of what was going on at the same time as the show: Their eyes were all shiny. They are happy, you can see their smiles. They saw the passion [of the artists] and they told me it’s really great.”
Ms. Conti added, “The costumes were sublime. The colors and also the images with these special effects where the artists enter the extraordinary background, you really have the impression of being plunged from the real world into a world beyond that. It was magical, and we had an extraordinary time.”
Shen Yun Performing Arts tours the world under the slogan “China before communism.” Chinese culture—has a history of over 5,000 years, and ancient Chinese people—prized high moral standards—and strong faith in the Divine. Today, much of these traditions have been destroyed or forgotten—since communism took over the country in 1949.
“You realize, looking at the spectacle, that the Chinese culture is so deep, so profound. 5,000 years of history and the Divine, the spirituality everywhere; absolutely not what you read in the common press,” said Mr. Prettre. “I think the most striking part of the experience is to know that this is made in New York. It wouldn’t be allowed to do this in Beijing. Highlighting what’s always forgotten by the media, that this is not a democratic regime. You’re not allowed to perform your own culture. The message of hope is that even if a local government prohibits [expressing] your own culture, you can settle down somewhere else.”
“The performances are always about faith and the Divine, aren’t they? Where you believe in hope and good prevails over evil. That’s what it’s all about,” said Ms. Conti.
Mr. Prettre added, “Faith, hope, strength, justice, a second chance as we could see with the monk [from the story “Journey to the West”] being saved. Very positive, very very positive feelings.”
“You have to see it [at least] once in your life,” said Ms. Chevalier.
Shen Yun’s European tour is nearing a successful end. The last few performances are scheduled in Germany, France, and Austria.
NTD News, Lausanne, Switzerland
