Ancient Chinese culture impressed Queensland audiences as New Tang Dynasty Television's (NTDTV) Chinese New Year Spectacular matinee marked the first show in Australia today at the Brisbane Conservatorium Theatre. The venue, appropriately referred to as the "center of learning" and noted for some of the best acoustics in the Southern Hemisphere, was transformed into a heavenly paradise with mythical characters from the 5000-year-old Chinese culture to commence an educational and unique tour in Australia.
The curtains opened with heavenly beings from the East and West. Looking down at the world, a Buddha conveys that he will go to earth and bring goodness to humankind, inviting the others to join him. He then descends and appears in the Tang Dynasty as an emperor.
Ornately dressed women represent one of the rich aspects of Tang culture – deemed to be a gift from the heavens. The two Chinese characters on the projection screen read "Great Tang". The sights and sounds awaken the senses with a feeling of awe and grandeaur as the divine enters the human world.
Principal dancer and choreographer Vina Lee recalled the audience's comments towards the performance whereby "individuals seem to recall where they come from". She also added that many have said: "Wow, that really reminds me where I came from."
In other words, the first dance shows that the origins of human beings are from the heavens and the Tang Dynasty was specifically chosen to represent the whole history of human beings because that is the most glorious period of time.
Mr Kasper Kuiper, General- Consul of the Netherlands, remarked that the show encapsulated what clearly happens in China and the show lived up its name as the "Spectacular". Mr Kuiper confirmed that he would be "definitely back next year."
The audience was treated with a journey that preserves authentic Chinese culture. There were gasps of admiration at the leaps of the dancers and the deep impression left by the moving mother and son scene in the "Story of Yue Fei" (China's most famous general of all time). Viewers were awakened by the "A Dunhuang Dream" dance, which hallmarked the deep ancient caves in western China with thousands of sculptures of Buddhas and deities, where a devout stone sculptor was divinely inspired in a dream.
Magnificent and breathtaking movements energised everyone in the theatre, especially when the host recommended that such a dance should not be tried at home. The creation of the show was thoughtful, with frequent bilingual explanations and cultural adaptations to local audience. The humour of the American presenters was particularly appreciated by the Australians, with giggles and laughter at self-deprecating references. Marianne Bray said that she "loved the interpretation of the song; it makes it much easier and we can understand it is all spiritual".
As the show continued, audience members gasped and marvelled at the different facets of Chinese tradition – from the "Forsuthia [flower] in the Spring" dance with the use of velvet handkerchiefs, which are distinctive to China's northern region, to the "Snowy Mountain, White Lotus" dance with long Tibetan sleeves, a symbolic greeting to each person for "best wishes".
The tranquility inside the theatre was in harmony with the relaxed nature of Queensland. Some feedback from the show reported that there was not a dry eye in the audience. Virtuoso tenor Mr Guimin Guan said that the performances are so moving that he can only view them during rehearsal so as not to affect his voice being overcome by emotion.
One spectator in New York bought his first ticket to a Chinese cultural show to experience for himself why so many reports from the show repeatedly described the audience in tears. The extent of the beauty he experienced truly amazed and stirred him in a way that so many before him had expressed.
Puula Miettinen commented that she had a "tissue just in case" during the intermission for the rest of the show. While Chinese-born Russian national Farial Sakal said tears were "definitely, definitely there…it was very emotional".
With demand for tickets always exceeding availability, Australians may be fortunate to see the rest of the March tour through the Gold Coast, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney.
The NTDTV Chinese Spectacular has extended its global shows to more screenings in New Zealand, Korea and Taiwan with the Divine Performing Arts group who are the artistic force behind New Tang Dynasty Television's Holiday Wonders and Chinese New Year Spectacular shows each year. Its mission is to rediscover the essence of true, traditional culture and to bring arts to the world that celebrate human dignity and positive values. It produces and performs works that center on classical themes and divinely-inspired cultural traditions. The group's performances aim to provide an experience of consummate beauty and goodness.
Website: shows.ntdtv.com
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