(Clearwisdom.net) On April 5, 2009, Shen Yun's New York company arrived in Vienna, the "music capital" and seat of the government in Austria. The first show started at 3 p.m. in the Weiner Stadthalle.
Several Chinese from the Mainland were interviewed after the show. They said that it was a pleasant surprise to have chance to see such a wonderful show that so successfully interpreted traditional Chinese culture.
Mr. Chang, 29, is a martial arts instructor who came from the Mainland 3 years ago. He said he knew there were many difficult movements, such as somersault and jumping, in classical Chinese dance, so, as a martial arts instructor, he decided to attend the show after he saw the large-scale advertisement. He said, "As a Chinese, this show is surely a great enjoyment for me."
Mrs. Zhang mentioned specifically that the scene, clothing, and the atmosphere in "The Dance of the Snow-Capped Mountain" were very similar to real life. "I have been to Shangri-La, and I feel the dance in this show is very similar. I was invited to local homes, and the young danced for us, and it was just like this." Mr. Chen, who came with Mrs. Zhang, said, the colors were very well coordinated in the dance for the flower that blossoms once in three thousand years ("The Udumbara's Bloom") and "Flowing Sleeves." He also approved of the backdrops and the dancing.
Mrs. Yang, who came to Vienna to visit her relatives, said she really liked the ethnic minority pieces in the show, such as "The Dance of the Snow-Capped Mountain" and "Mongolian Chopsticks." Mrs. Yang came from China 5 years ago and likes traditional Chinese culture very much. The show pleased her tremendously since it is rich in ethnic minority culture.
Mrs. Yang's friend, Mrs. Lin, who is originally from Zhejiang, said, "I have been away from China for quite a while and have never gone back. It made me feel like I was back home when I watched the show." Mrs. Lin told the reporter that she really missed those tales and legends that she enjoyed when she was a kid, such as the stories of Monk Jigong and Mulan, and she thought the dances based on these stories were especially good.
Mrs. Zhao, who from northeast China, said, "I think the backdrops are very beautiful and unique, the clothing and costumes are very beautiful, and the dancing is excellent. My friends and I were just wondering aloud whether the dancer's legs will hurt because he keeps turning somersaults--he is awesome!"
Mrs. Du, who has been abroad for 7 years, came to the show with her six-year-old son. She liked the dances, noting that the dancers had solid skills and a good foundation. "They must have trained very hard." She was moved. Mrs. Du was also happy to see a show that presents traditional Chinese culture. "Because, for our kids, we should let them experience classical Chinese culture."
Mr. Fu from Shanghai was pleased with the traditional culture presented in the show. "I did not have much chance to experience our traditional culture before, so I was especially happy to be able to see my home nation's wonderful traditional culture."
A student from Zhejiang enjoyed the traditional Chinese stories. "These stories have been with me since I was a kid. Seeing this makes me feel wonderful."