'Spectacular' 'Power with beauty'

CANBERRA, Australia—Kylie Steele, mother Judith and friend Bronwyn Bondfield loved the "men and the drums" when they saw the Chinese Spectacular on the final night of its Canberra season, April 12—but that was not all.

Kylie particularly liked the music and explained: "Well I am a bit of a musician myself, and I find it very different, but very interesting ... fascinating kind of musical. Yeah, it was really good!"

The erhu was of particular interest. "It was really interesting how you can get so much sound on just two strings. It was amazing how she played that," said Kylie.

Bronwen was quick to agree. "It wasn't so Chinese, it was a very beautiful song and it was just so beautiful. You could hear the Chinese culture in it, but it wasn't grating to your ears. It was lovely and the drums were so powerful ... yeah, the men and the drums!

"Some performances you see are just full of strength but no beauty—and then others are just beautiful but no strength—but that was very good with both," she said.

Judith Steele, who had organised the tickets for the evening show, added further accolades: "I think the lead lady, she really captured the attention, she really held ... I don't know what it was about her but she just kept you looking at her. She was lovely, just the serenity and beauty in her. I think all the ladies were very beautiful but she just had something that caught your attention."

Judith was talking about principal dancer, Michelle Ren, but she did not finish there.

"The ladies were beautiful, the pleating and the beading, just fantastic, just all the detail. It was lovely, the colours, just the richness in the colours that we wouldn't usually use."

Kylie, who works in the medical field noted the positive message throughout the show. "Yeah, the idea of truth and compassion, forbearance are very good things for people to take a hold of, to embrace," she said.

Bronwen, an early childhood specialist agreed, saying the cultural message was especially important for children: "Its just the culture in it. I think our students should be aware of different cultures and backgrounds.

"It enriches you to come and see something different and you see there is lots of things in life you can enjoy."

For information about upcoming Divine Performing Arts shows, please visit:
www.BestChineseShows.com.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese Spectacular. For our complete coverage please visit:
http://en.epochtimes.com/features/dpa2008/