SAN FRANCISCO—In San Francisco, the lush, crimson tapestry curtain of the elegant Orpheum Theatre fell on Jan. 26, completing the last evening performance of the very successful run of the Divine Performing Arts' epic, masterful production, Chinese New Year Spectacular.
According to the staff, the 2,200 seats for the evening performance were sold out. The weather proved to not diminish the enthusiasm and desire to see the show. Word of mouth, passed from first-hand experience, proved to be a very effective form of advertising.
This is the group's fourth Chinese New Year celebration in the city that is Saint Francis' namesake. The diversity, tolerance and sheer appreciation of the show was evident everywhere. Some homeless, as well, found it a safe topic of conversation, often smiling politely through the rain, inquiring, "Are you going to see the show tonight? ... Have a good show!"
Everyone seemed touched by the magic.
Before the show, in the atrium, the crowd took advantage of photo-ops with a Chinese lion, or the elegantly clad Emperor and his wife. Children giggled with delight as the lion mingled playfully with the crowd. Such interaction was strongly encouraged by onlookers, and regarded as "lucky."
At intermission, Dan Yee, who was born in the United States, said he spotted the tickets through the Ticketmaster website.
He and lovely wife Annie, who was born in Hong Kong, drove from San Ramon. Dan is an information technology consultant, and commutes from Portland each week. They were glad they could fit the show into their demanding schedule. They were quite impressed with the costumes, digital backdrop and the fluid and refined movements of the dancers.
After the performance, the Ha family mentioned they had come to the show from Santa Rosa and San Jose. Helen, who was born in Saigon, thought the show was "fascinating.
"The colors and costumes were absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed the background backdrops. The scenery was gorgeous. I enjoyed the vocal performers and pianist [and the final song [by Hong Ming]. He is a great singer."
Daughter Ceanne, who is pursuing a graduate degree at San Jose State, said, "The Masters of Ceremonies were pretty funny, entertaining to watch. I loved the costumes and set designs. The whole atmosphere was bright and happy. I really liked the drummers."
Bibi Asad expressed her delight with the show during intermission. After the show, Asad, and friends Jola Goleniewska, and Lili Goleniewski shared their experiences.
Lili lives in Tiburon, and travels the world, working in telecommunications education and consultation. She speaks five languages, and joked that "the fifth one is telecommunication."
She has been to China on many occasions. She brought friend, Asad and cousin, Jola, from Poland, who does not speak much English.
Lili, speaking on behalf of Jola, said that it was Jola's "first time to be exposed to the fine arts and culture of China, so you can imagine how impressed she was ... she was in a lovely cloud of images."
Lili continued: "It is a priceless memory for all of us!—while I've had the privilege of working and traveling in Asia for years, even with all the wonderful performances I've seen, this was a special show."
She expressed her shock and regret about the plight of Falun Gong in China, which the show had brought to her attention. She wondered how any group that was determined to uphold such universal values as truth, benevolence, and tolerance could be subjected to such inconceivable treatment by the Chinese government.
The next venue will be the crowd favorite, Radio City Music Hall, which, by famed cellist Christine Walewska's account, "is the most fantastic theater for this."
Mark your calendar, just in case you're planning a visit to the Big Apple between Jan. 30 and Feb. 9, or need a good excuse to go. By all reports, all the stops will be pulled out there, with a new, expanded program, featuring all three current touring groups of Divine Performing Arts. NTDTV's Chinese New Year Splendor will have even more to amaze and dazzle.
If you haven't seen the show, there are over 60 cities worldwide to choose from. The show surely has something for everyone, acclaimed as an excellent educational medium. It will challenge all clichéd notions you may have about the ancient, mysterious land of China, and give you a tiny glimpse of what heaven could be like. Or, at the very least, it's a nice visual to hold.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Divine Performing Arts performances. For dates and times of their world tour visit: http://www.divineperformingarts.com/sy/ticket_info.
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