OTTAWA—The divine beauty of ancient China will shine again at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on Sunday as the Chinese New Year Spectacular plays before a full house at the Canadian debut of its 2008 world tour.
This is the Spectacular's fifth year in production and second year in Ottawa. Featuring the acclaimed Divine Performing Arts company, the professional cast of over 100 dancers, vocalists, and musicians will grace the stage of Southam Hall on January 13 and 14 for two evening shows.
The global tour, launched in Atlanta and Pennsylvania on January 4, will visit approximately 70 cities on four continents between January and May. Having grown phenomenally from a handful of shows in 2004, the Spectacular will play to an estimated total audience of 650,000 this year, giving 220 performances in all.
Audiences have given the Spectacular high praise and have recognized the importance of the concepts that Divine Performing Arts conveys through its performances, such as loyalty, filial piety, divinely inspired Chinese cultural traditions, and the belief that good and evil have just returns.
These are moral and spiritual concepts from traditional Chinese culture that show organizers say have largely been destroyed by decades of communist rule in China.
The artists of the Spectacular "strive hard to reverse the damage and bring back the good part of Chinese traditions," says Dr. Jean Zhi, president of the Ottawa organizing committee.
The show is organized by New Tang Dynasty TV, along with the Falun Dafa Association. Headquartered in New York, NTDTV is an independent, non-profit, global Chinese-language network founded by overseas Chinese in 2002.
"The Chinese New Year Spectacular explodes with authentic, traditional Chinese performing arts and music that cannot be found anywhere in the world," says Joe Wang, President of NTDTV Canada.
Wang explains that the Spectacular is "a multi-million dollar production showing 5,000 years of ancient and modern-day Chinese history that brings to light the magnificence of the human spirit through flawless dance, beautiful music, stunning costumes, and 3-dimensional backgrounds."
The Spectacular has received commendations from several prominent government dignitaries, including Governor General Michaëlle Jean and Prime Minster Stephen Harper.
"I have no doubt that audiences will delight in the exceptional showcase of colourful, handmade costumes, brilliant choreography and outstanding musical composition," the prime minister wrote in a congratulatory message to the performers.
The following are comments from audience members who attended the Spectacular at various venues around the world:
Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien, who attended last year's show, called it "riveting, intriguing, and beautiful to watch." He said that although he's been to China, he has "never been treated to this level of sophisticated entertainment."
Taiwan Vice-President Annette Hsiu-lien Lu called Divine Performing Arts "the best show."
"We really need to promote morality, to respect heaven, to treasure the earth, to love people, and to look for truthfulness, kindness and beauty," said Lu. The Spectacular will play in Taiwan in February.
"It's very beautiful, it's peaceful, it's energizing; it's everything all wrapped up into one," said Linda Cooper, a veteran ballet teacher from Philadelphia.
"The dancing is exquisite and the costumes were very attractive," remarked Oregon composer David Bernstein. "The drums, for someone like me who has written for percussion instruments, I have a great deal of appreciation for the synchronicity of what they do with the dancing."
He added that "the philosophy was very rewarding toward the betterment of your life."
Lin Hsiling, trained in the musical performing arts from a young age in China, described how the show "deeply touched her soul."
"It awakens the best that is in human nature," she said. "[Divine Performing Arts] displays the beauty, goodness, and light of the heavenly and human realms, and lets the hope and future clearly unfold that righteousness will ultimately defeat evil."
Lin suffered decades of persecution by the Chinese Communist Party as a prominent "rightist," and several of her closest family members were persecuted to death by the communist regime.
"As unstoppable tears flow, they heal the wound in my mind and wash away the hate in my heart, letting compassion and tolerance return, which are the best elements of life. Divine Performing Arts has allowed light to begin appearing again in my previous life of sorrow," said Lin.
In Canada, the Ottawa premiere will be followed by four shows in Montreal from January 15–17 and five shows in Toronto from January 18–20. From April 27 to May 7 the Spectacular will visit Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton.
Noting that "the show will promote cultures by making us think of the high standard that can be achieved in human artistic pursuits and endeavours," award-winning professor Cyril Dabydeen of the University of Ottawa said he would "encourage everyone to take in the show at the NAC."
"It's an opportunity not to be missed!" he said.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese New Year Spectacular shows featuring Divine Performing Arts. Tickets to the shows are available at TicketMaster.ca. For more information, please visit http://bestchineseshows.com.
Feeds