MELBOURNE, Australia—By intermission of the fourth and last show of the Divine Performing Arts Spectacular for Melbourne on Sunday afternoon, Aldo Mainelli's excitement of his first ever visit to the Melbourne Arts Centre was obvious.
"I'm enjoying very much, very much so. Especially today, it's our 40th anniversary!
"Even though we don't understand Chinese culture so much, we are enjoying it a lot."
The 'we' he was speaking of was his wife Anna-Maria Mainelli for whom he is a care-giver.
"We've always wanted to come to the Arts centre, and this is the first time ever we've been here, and we'll come back again. It had to be something special for today, and now that we test it, I like it, I like it. So we'll come back again."
Mr Mainelli, who came to live in Australia in 1966 from Calabria in Italy, said his favourite part was the drums.
"I like the drums. I really, really like the drums. I hope there are some more of them. My wife likes everything. The costumes and the choreography are out of this world. It's perfect, perfect, it couldn't be any more perfect than that. I'm really, really enjoying myself. They're doing a great show—the movements they make—there's so much feeling, in the way they move. It's really fantastic, really fantastic."
A glowing Mr Mainelli also sought out the reporter after the second half of the show.
"Well, I enjoyed it very much. The final part was really terrific, it can't be any better than that. I really enjoyed it. I recommend it to anybody, and everybody!
With typical Italian gesticulations Mr Mainelli again said how the drums were his favoured part of the show.
"The final, the whole set-up, it was fantastic, I really enjoyed it.
"I think the costumes are out of this world, really out of this world. I enjoyed it, every single bit of it—but, the final part, for me was the best.
"I just wanted to get in there and do it myself!" he said making drumming gestures.
"Look, if anybody is listening to this, and has a chance—see the show!" he said as walked away waving, following his wife down the escalators, "Go and see it! Go and see it! It's money well spent!"
For information about upcoming Divine Performing Arts shows, please visit:
www.DivinePerformingArts.org.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese Spectacular. For our complete coverage please visit:
http://en.epochtimes.com/features/dpa2008/
Feeds