'I Have Never Seen Anything as Beautiful As This in My Life'

The highly acclaimed Chinese New Year Spectacular staged its final show for 2008 Montreal's Place des Arts on Thursday evening.

Young and old alike, the audience was thrilled with the the agility and grace demonstrated by the dancers, the beauty of the costumes, the stunning backdrops and the full orchestra that blended Chinese and western instruments.

"I have never seen anything as beautiful as this in my life," said André Bilodeau, a Montreal businessman. His Chinese escort, Lian Jan, said she was also delighted with the show.

"The grace of the ladies of the court who danced with small quick steps in their high-heeled shoes particularly impressed me," said Ms. Jan.

Marie-Christin Baudelle, a nurse who attended the show with her husband, said she found the music "enchanting." She was especially impressed by the musician who played the erhu, also known as the Chinese violin, a traditional Chinese two-stringed instrument that produces a wide range of notes.

"Her performance was almost hypnotic," said Baudelle.

Celestin Ratsimbazafy, Baudelle's husband and an engineer at Hydro-Québec, found the show "a visual gem. The choregraphy was complex, and the music touched us both. It was excellent."

"It is a marvellous show!," declared Hélêne Kandiliotis, a dentist, adding that two numbers in particular impressed her the most: the Mangolian dance where the dancers mimicked the gallop of horses, and the erhu solo.

The New York-based Divine Performing Arts Company, which presents the Spectacular shows, says it is reviving the true traditional Chinese culture that disappeared or became misrepresented after communism took hold in China.

The company recently began an ambitious world tour that will visit 60 cities on four continents. Thursday's performance was one of 20 shows in Canada.

Divine Performing Arts will play five shows in Toronto on Jan. 18, 19 and 20, as part of its global tour, which includes an 11-day run at New York's famous Radio City Music Hall.

Upon returning to Canada in the spring, the Spectacular will play in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. By the end of its tour, it will have played to a total live audience of 650,000 in over 60 cities.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Divine Performing Arts shows that will perform in over 60 cities worldwide in 2008. To find a show near you, please visit www.bestchineseshows.com.