MUNICH,Germany—Complimentary comments came from Lutz Scheicher and Christiane Adamek, members of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) on attending the first night performance of Shen Yun in Munich.
Christiane Adamek said "It was grand, impressive."
Adamek has previously visited China and talked about the contrasts. "We saw many temples, meaning things from antiquity and old things, and a performance in Wuhan. Then we also visited Hong Kong and saw the modern [aspects]."
When asked what she would remember about this evening, Adamek said, "The marvelous setting of the water, and the opening scene. I also enjoyed most of the group dances. I liked the gentle and soft presentations the best. And the bamboo flute interludes [between the scenes], and the Mongolian dance where the dancers jumped around."
Lutz Scheicher said the Free Democratic Party understands the human rights situation in China and that pertaining to Falun Gong. "I took Mrs. Adamek along because she had been to China several times. Those wonderful dances, the musical interpretations, the songs and the piano accompaniment, and also the violin with the two strings (the erhu)—those are the things that appealed to me."
Some dances reminded him of other places. "I liked the Mongolian dance—the dance with the teacups on top of the head. [Other dances] with the fans, or even the one with the long sleeves, those were nice and engaging dances that reminded me of other nations, for instance, India. I had spent a long time in Japan. The show made me long for other countries, so much so that I want to travel again."
Regarding the interference the show's producers faced in bringing Shen Yun to Munich, Scheicher said, "I am aware of the animosity toward Falun Gong adherents in Munich, and of their difficulties. They often demonstrate in front of the [Chinese] consulate and are being shooed away and berated, even though they only sit there and display a banner. I read in a southern German newspaper about the blackballing of this event, and of the concert agent being badgered to cancel the show. I applaud him for having defied these demands and put on the show. It was excellent, and well attended. There is another show tomorrow, and I shall call two or three friends and recommend they visit the show, if there are still tickets available."
Adamek had no answers why the Chinese consulate would interfere. "This is a huge, unanswered question."
But Scheicher pointed out a possible lead. "Epoch Times' promotion states clearly that the show deals with elements from the old China and is free of Communist Chinese ideology, free of Communist censure. That is precisely the difference, and that is what is at stake. That seems to be what the Chinese consulate dislikes. They demand adherence to only one ideology—theirs."
"As far as this 'ban,' I must say it amounts to a smear campaign," said Adamek. "We live in a free country, and have artistic freedom. And this is art! All people ought to have the opportunity to view what is presented, to gather their own impressions, and not simply forbid something outright, from the very beginning. I am against that [what the consulate promulgates]. I am so glad I was taken along [to tonight's performance]."
Adamek surmised that the Chinese consulate was actually promoting the show with its interference.
"I want to tell the Chinese regime this," declared Schechter, "China has opened herself up to commerce and taken grand strides. The second step has to be for China to come so far as to honor human rights, to pave the way toward a democracy and thereby honor people's humanity and freedom, and to distance herself from the death penalty. We have been told of the diminished numbers of executions in China—which is progress—but there needs to be further progress by completely abolishing the death penalty."
"In particular, the arrests of and discrimination against Falun Gong practitioners must be abandoned. We are aware of the existence of concentration camps in China, and China must disband those. We Germans know what concentration camps are like [and what happened there]. We had them during Hitler's reign. We know how it affects everyone and what it bodes for the future. We wish the Chinese people good fortune—but in freedom!" said Schechter.
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/.
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