LONDON—When the curtain rises, many audience members are struck by Shen Yun’s heavenly scenes.
“When you’ve got this very dark auditorium… the curtains open, and your eyes are literally blasted by all these very, very vibrant colours,” said visual effects producer Gilbert James, who watched Shen Yun at London’s Eventim Apollo on Jan. 19.
In some scenes, Shen Yun artists appear to fly into the sky via an animated backdrop, bringing tales from ancient times vividly alive on stage.
Uniquely Trained Singers
James wasn’t only impressed by the colours and visual effects, but also the singing, which he described as “powerful.” He was touched by the lyrics of the songs, which are translated into English on the backdrop.
“The words… that I got about an invasion, and overcoming that, finding this path to righteousness,” he said. “It’s very powerful, very very powerful, and very powerfully presented as well.”
He added, “To simpify a message like that with a voice and a piano is a difficult thing to do.”
The singers of Shen Yun are uniquely trained to sing in Chinese using the bel canto technique, bringing back a classical technique to the modern stage.
“It’s quite nice to see someone stand up in front of so many people, and be so eloquent,” said Simon Hawkins, an award-winning singer. “Very well done.”
‘A Tragedy’
Shen Yun has a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture—a culture that was almost lost under the communist regime in China, where Shen Yun is not allowed to perform.
“It is such a tragedy that they can’t watch it in China because it is so beautiful, and it’s amazing to think that it’s so many thousands of years old. It’s long before we had ballet in Europe, and it’s beautiful,” said David Ashworth, a former senior partner for Norton Rose LLP.
He added, “Shen Yun tells ancient stories, as well as modern tales based on true events, through live music and dance. It came through particularly in the wonderful bit about the boy who was blinded for his belief and then got his sight back again. That was a very impressive and deep moment in the show.”
