MONTREAL—Tuesday night a near capacity crowd at Place des Arts was treated to a "Spectacular" display of authentic Chinese culture.
The premiere Montreal venue played host to the Divine Performing Arts Chinese New Year Spectacular last night. Among the audience was Zora Machkovri, who saw last years Spectacular and thought it was so good that this year she invited her boyfriend, Eric Raymond, to go with her.
Raymond explained how he was persuaded into seeing the show, "She loved it [last year]. It is her second time to see the show. She invited me. She said you must see it. It's so beautiful."
"We … liked the scene with the drums, the dance, color … the culture, how the team, they move, they dance," said Eric after seeing the show.
Zora says, "It is a good review of Chinese culture. We really appreciate this history, very impressive."
The couple was also impressed by the Divine Performing Arts Orchestra, which is the first to combine Western orchestral instruments with traditional Chinese instruments. This creates unique music that has the sound and character of Chinese music with the power and range of a western orchestra.
Eric's impression of this one-of-a-kind music, "Perfect."
Nathalie Pomerleau, corporate marketing advisor for Société de transport de Montréal was thoroughly impressed with the "Spectacular."
"As soon as the curtain lifted, I was impressed by the colours. It's wonderful. I really like the colours. Everything is pretty. I really like the rhythm of the drums."
The "Spectacular" is comprised a variety of programs, from dances depicting ancient Chinese folk tales, to a thundering drum performance and solos from virtuoso musicians and sopranos. Each is piece is performed in front of a 3D digitally animated backdrop and tied together with short introductions from the show's hosts.
"The little introduction helps us to understand the dance," Pomerleau said. "I got to know the history of China. The screen depicts the right era."
Suzanne Benoît, a coordinator with SNC Lavalin, described the almost meditative quality of the dances.
"The show makes me think of ballet and Tai Chi. [It] uses a lot of means to create a good effect and stimulate one's attention." Benoît expressed that behind the dances was a, "culture of beautiful sensitivity. The virility of the artists who play the drums is great."
The Spectacular plays three more shows in Montreal over the next two days, before continuing on to Toronto and the rest of its more than 60 city world tour.
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