(Minghui.org) Shen Yun Performing Arts began its 2014 Europe tour in Geneva with three sold-out performances at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices on March 11 and 13. Blocked seats were opened to satisfy audience demand. Returning for its fourth time in Geneva, Shen Yun touched and impressed audiences with its deep spirituality and stunning perfection.
Positive Values Presented by an Incredible Production
Member of the Grand Conseil de Genève, Henry Rappaz, enjoyed the show with his wife.
Henri Rappaz, journalist and Member of the Grand Conseil de Genève, enjoyed seeing the costumes and the ancient dances of Shen Yun. Through the show, he could feel the “ancestral atmosphere of the country.”
Mr. Rappaz was impressed by Shen Yun's representation of traditional Chinese culture. “It's very important to bring the old traditions back to life so as to understand what happened before and also what could actually happen again. I think it was all very well orchestrated and produced, the music was fantastic,” he noted.
“Chinese culture was very spiritual,” remarked Mr. Rappaz. “There is great spirituality in all these dances.”
Mr. Rappaz was also glad to see the scene portraying the struggle of Falun Gong practitioners against injustice in China. He believes that the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance have a positive effect in the world today.
Politician Mark Falquet was touched by the “high-level message” of Shen Yun
A Geneva politician, Mark Falquet, believed that there was a “spiritual message, high-level message” throughout the show, which he found very compelling. He also sensed the message of freedom and harmony in the performance. Mr. Falquet described the show as “marvelous” and “spectacular.”
Profound Artistic Value and Rich Culture
Film director and producer Anwar Kawadri was impressed by the cultural richness of Shen Yun.
“It is a spectacular show, there is no doubt about it; very rich in culture.”
London-based film director and producer Anwar Kawadri was full of praise for Shen Yun after witnessing the New York based Shen Yun on March 11.
Mr. Kawadri, who has written, produced, and directed a number of films in Europe and the Middle East, is the production executive of Dashishah Universal Film Production based in Geneva. The company creates movies co-produced in different countries including the UK, Switzerland, and the United States.
“I was so impressed with the richness and culture side of this production. Because the visual side is so stunning, and so well done between what is on the screen, and what is on the stage,” Mr. Kawadri commented.
“The artistic value is the most important, because it is so rich with its historical and cultural side… which goes back thousands and thousands of years and we saw it today,” he added.
“And also the folkloric side, the music side, the choreography, and all the dancers, and the main cast were so good [and] in harmony, they must have spent days and hours and weeks and months of rehearsal.
“The most impressive thing was the actual opera… It is going to go very well with the European audience, I can assure you,” Mr. Kawadri said.
“The cultural historical background of the whole situation is so well made, I was so impressed.”
Speaking from his professional experience, Mr. Kawadri said that Shen Yun is perfection: “The tour is going to be very successful in cultural cities like Paris, London, Barcelona, Milan, Frankfurt, everywhere [Shen Yun is traveling to in] Europe [it will] have a fantastic success,” he said.
“I enjoyed it very much; I will see it again and again.”
Spiritual Transcendence Amazed Musicians
Opera singer Sofie Helen Frank and conductor Paul Hess admired both the visual and spiritual aspects of Shen Yun.
Opera singer and music teacher Sofie Helen Frank was amazed by Shen Yun's dancing. “I greatly admired the synchronization of the movements, the grandeur of the movements. I loved the dance characters. Their movements provided a very strong visual impact,” she remarked.
Mrs. Frank was also impressed by the music. “I really appreciated the lyrics of the songs. Very beautiful. I was very pleased by the pianist's performance. I think it's very beautiful! What more can I say?”
Her husband, Paul Hess, who is a conductor, had the impression that “everything was very carefully prepared and very beautifully presented.”
To him, “There were no moments of fatigue or boredom. Everything flowed in unison. I would say that the whole structure and sequence of ideas were very well structured I am very positively impressed.”
Mrs. Frank was also moved by the spirituality of the performance. “I would also like to say that I loved the fact that the show brings in spirituality. It is very important. The art has a spiritual vocation, or it becomes flat and as empty as an empty eggshell.
“It is very important for us as artists to fill the music with something celestial and divine, something that is in the transcendence.”
Evoking Questions about Meaning of Life
Interior designer Nahin Noor thought the show was “absolutely breathless.”
Interior designer Nahin Noor was blown away by the beauty of the performance. “No words to describe it. Breathless. Absolutely breathless. Beautiful beautiful choreography. Absolutely amazing costumes. In fact I want one of those dresses if you can arrange for me to have one of those dresses. Absolutely spectacular,” she said.
Ms. Noor feels that the concept behind the show is “very spiritual, very touching, very emotional.” It was “getting closer to God, and just being more at peace with oneself.”
“The fact the humanity, mankind, where we've come from, the dynasties that have come before us, and where we are going to, where we are heading to. And the story that was told throughout those dances was something to think about,” Ms. Noor added.
Spreading Universal Principles Worldwide
Senior executive of security Jean-Pierre Huwyler stressed the importance of the messages in the show
Senior executive of security, Jean-Pierre Huwyler, was most impressed by the colors of the costumes. “The costumes, the colors of the costumes are like the sun, it shines and touches the heart.”
He was also moved by the music. “And the music too, when we think classical music, the Chinese music as they are combined more or less, it's sensational. And there is a message behind it, it's not just the dance and the music, but the message is more important,” Mr. Huwyler shared.
To him, the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance portrayed in the performance are very important, “Zhen Shan Ren (Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance), it's this I think about. It's important for the whole world to have people like Shen Yun who spread the message throughout the world. My impression is that it is very important now. I try to live according to Zhen Shan Ren.”
Doctor Wang feels very fortunate to be able to see Shen Yun
Doctor from Mainland China Feels Fortunate to See Shen Yun
Dr. Wang only recently came to Switzerland. He attended the Shen Yun performance in Geneva for the first time. He was deeply touched by the wisdom and magnificence of Buddha portrayed in the show. To him, being able to watch Shen Yun was a blessing.
“It would really really be a fortune if all Chinese people are able to see Shen Yun. I hope that people such as world peace activists and culture lovers all watch Shen Yun if they would like. How wonderful it is. It is such an enjoyment of beauty,” Dr. Wang exclaimed.
“Buddha is the representation of the greatest wisdom and truth in the universe. I think that if the entire world can be like Buddha, the whole world will become peaceful and harmonious. Ah, what Buddha says is so magnificent,” he added.
Shen Yun continues its European tour in Paris, France on March 28-30. For more information on tickets and dates, please visit www.shenyunperformingarts.org .
