(Minghui.org) The New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts presented 78 performances in the Americas, Asia, and Europe during the second half of April 2025 (April 15–28).
Shen Yun New World Company at a packed house at the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on the afternoon of April 26
Shen Yun New York Company at L'Amphithéâtre 3000 in Lyon, France, on the afternoon of April 25, one of Shen Yun’s seven sold-out performances April 22–27
Shen Yun Touring Company at a sold-out house at the ODEON in Odense, Denmark, on the afternoon of April 26
Shen Yun North America Company at a sold-out house at the Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside, California, on the evening of April 25
“This Beauty Is Truly Good for Us”
François de Givry (left) and his father Jacques de Givry (NTD Television)
Photographer Jacques de Givry and his son François saw Shen Yun in Paris on April 19.
“It’s our inner world that was really challenged this afternoon. And that’s important, because we forget that we have an inner world,” said Jacques, a photographer and also an author/publisher of some 40 art books. He is also a knight of the French Order of Arts and Letters, and an associate member of the Academy of Moral Sciences, Letters and Arts of Versailles.
“It’s a show that surprises and gives you a really pleasant feeling of harmony and synchronicity between all the actors, the music, and the film. There really is something exceptional here. Everything really works in sync, at the same time, and that’s remarkable,” he said.
François de Givry is a chartered accountant by trade. “I was very moved by this show,” François said. “I’m moved, that’s true.”
“I believe that beauty saves the world,” he added. “Everything that’s interior allows us to move forward and joins us. This beauty is truly good for us. So thank you.”
Jacques also wanted to thank the company for all its beauty.
“I feel very well, and like my son, I find that as a photographer I’m also a bit in search of the beauty of the world, a bit of the unusual too. But beauty is the main thing. And here, you’ve given us some. Thank you for the beauty,” said Jacques. “And also, the spirit of these shows is really good.
“Thanks in any case for the grace of all the performances we saw,” he added. “It was very graceful, and to really make people appreciate beauty, there has to be precisely a lot of grace, a lot of modesty, and at the same time a lot of exceptional performances from a gymnastic point of view.”
For the photographer, Shen Yun’s values included “beauty, which is really very important for all of us when we have a love of beauty. We saw that today, but beauty bears many things, much more spiritual.”
“You’re putting across a bit of a message of transcendence in a very ancient, very modern world at the same time, and you’re showing that modernity doesn’t lead very well to transcendence right now,” Jacques said. “So, it was good to get the message across.”
“I found that the show brought values and a look at current events and the difficulties of our world to find ourselves. Shows like this allow people to come together. Unfortunately, China is currently forgetting about the possibility of people coming together in peace,” Jacques said.
His son added: “It reaches into the inner self, and that’s a gift. As soon as you can reach it and touch it, you can share that interiority with respect for the beautiful things that come out of it.”
“So thank you. Thank you to the artists, musicians, dancers, singers, and composers, too. Thank you very much,” he said.
“The Spiritual Force We Need the Most in Today’s Era”
Alain Pedro and his wife (The Epoch Times)
Chinese astrologer Alain Pedro and his wife saw Shen Yun in Lyon, France, on April 22.
“This performance allowed us to truly see the ancient wisdom and spiritual world of China. That is China before communism, a Chinese culture that values balance and philosophy,” Mr. Pedro said.
“Chinese music and colors are closely related, just as natural as breathing. Music guides emotions, and colors illuminate the soul. Throughout the performance, colors and music resonated, a fusion that is extremely rare in Europe.
“Shen Yun showcases an energy that connects heaven, earth and humans, and is the spiritual force we need the most in today’s era,” he said.
“The Artistic Level Is Very, Very High”
Isabelle Viguerie (NTD Television)
Isabelle Viguerie, a school counselor at the Ministry of National Education, saw Shen Yun in Paris on April 16.
Ms. Viguerie first discovered Shen Yun through friends on social networks. “We thought, ‘Is it going to be as beautiful in real life as it is on the networks? The verdict: Magnificent, magnificent, incredible!” she said.
“I loved the show. It was beautiful, genuine, and very elegant. The dancing, the rhythm, the synchronization, the colors... Frankly, the tableaux were magnificent. But really, we loved it.
“The artistic level is very, very high, because you can see that a lot of work has gone into it. I think they have to train a lot, and the standards are very, very high.
“We’re subjugated, we’re amazed, we’re full of happiness, in fact!” she said, adding that she was unable to believe that the show can be “so beautiful.”
Ms. Viguerie felt the connection with the divine “in the movements, in the way you move,” but also in “the ease, the lightness.”
“Something very profound. How can I put it? It’s perceptible and imperceptible at the same time. It’s a mixture of the two, and that’s what makes the show so beautiful,” she said.
“The body speaks, the body tells stories, and that’s what’s beautiful,” she said. “The faces radiate, as if they’re speaking, and you feel a connection with the audience because you see that they’re there to give the best they have to offer.”
The arrival of the Creator in the finale also provoked a reaction from Ms. Viguerie. For her, this is “someone who is going to come and save the world, ... who is there to give all the benevolence, all that he can bring and make people change.”
“I felt he was there,” she said. “He was beaming.”
“You Really Take it to Heart”
Marie Lindqvist (NTD Television)
Marie Lindqvist, a former principal dancer of the Royal Swedish Ballet, saw Shen Yun in Stockholm, Sweden, on April 21.
“It is an incredibly beautiful experience. You have to say that. A beautiful experience in the soul and physically,” she said.
“It’s very interesting for me because I’m a dancer and so there’s a lot of things that are equivalent to classical ballet. I’m fascinated by the precision, the smoothness, and the precision that they have. And the tempo, there’s a tempo to it that you never get tired of. It’s fantastic.
“For me, live music is essential. The fact that there is a live orchestra together with the dancers on stage makes it completely different,” she said. “I can’t say it enough, the precision, it’s absolutely incredible. You can see the work that goes into it. Hours and hours, for everyone to be so smooth and precise. And to make it look so flowing and light.”
“I think it’s needed. You need to believe in the good. And the message they give is that, despite everything that’s going on, you should maintain tradition. You should dare to believe in the good. I think that came across very strongly. It’s great that you have this in these times,” Ms. Lindqvist said.
“What you have in your mind is just beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Spiritually beautiful. A lot of faith, and spirituality. You focus on the beautiful and the good. The expression, the storytelling, the drama, and I think the drama in these stories, where they want to convey a very strong message, is great. You really take it to heart,” she said.
“It Touches the Soul of Life”
Sergio Arribá (The Epoch Times)
Sergio Arribá, an advisor to the Legal and Technical Secretariat of the Presidency of the Argentine Nation, saw Shen Yun in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 24.
“Shen Yun depicts what heaven looks like. It’s a magical feeling!” Mr. Arribá said.
“I think the greatest value and message of this show are spiritual. It touches the soul of life.
“The performance has a message about the importance of life, the value of life, and going beyond life. Why did we come to this world? If you look at this performance from the spiritual level of life, you can understand the message conveyed by Shen Yun. I would say that this is a more complex concept of life in the 21st century. It is like an anchor that allows us to rethink our lives.
“I deeply believe in spirituality, and believe in eternity and life after death. This concept is beautifully interpreted in Shen Yun. It depicts what heaven is like and how people came down from heaven. It’s a magical connection. For a moment, you’re no longer in the Ópera theater in Buenos Aires, but feel connected to the divine and heaven,” he said.
“They Bring Up New Dimensions”
Ron Nechemia (NTD Television)
Ron Nechemia, the president of Global Bank Group, saw Shen Yun in Costa Mesa, California, on April 19.
“You saw the crowd clapping, the people didn’t stop. It’s beautiful,” said Mr. Nechemia.
“Amazing to see the combination of the music and the new technology; they bring up new dimensions. I don’t know how they are doing it, but it’s beautifully done together.
“During the Cultural Revolution, China lost some of its beauty. And seeing somebody work hard to bring it back and bring it up to date, I think it’s something very special, very unique,” he said.
“It’s Very Enlightening, Refreshing”
Patrick Mercier and his family (The Epoch Times)
Entrepreneur Patrick Mercier saw Shen Yun with his family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 26.
“I think it’s reflecting the Chinese culture, the old way of living, and now being able to express themselves. Since they can’t do it in China,” said Mr. Mercier, CEO of several companies, mainly in the wealth management industry.
“I’m for tradition, so you get caught into materialism, you get caught into an American consumerism, and you forget that people should be respected for what they believe, that we have expression and not be terrorized or being told to be in prison, like we saw in one of the stories, because of how you think or how you act,” he said.
Mr. Mercier thought Shen Yun left him with the message of “Let’s go back to the essential,” and did so in an uplifting way.
“It reminds me actually of the old world of living, the simple way, the very divine culture,” he said. “A lot of colors, very hopeful. That’s a good message. Yes, it’s very enlightening, refreshing... It’s a feel-good feeling.”
“Let’s go back to the essence of life and the spirituality of believing there’s more to life than controlling others, and live simply,” he said. “Less materialistically, more driven to outdoors, to the earth, nature, sky. I mean, I think everything was explained into the five elements, but the harmonious way of how the five elements can combine and then have humans live in it and respect it.”
Thinking about the cycles of history and how China may change in the future, Mr. Mercier added, “I hope for them.”
“It’s Incredible Shen Yun Could Move Me So Much”
Lennart Eriksson (NTD Television)
Lennart Eriksson, co-founder of a Swedish health consulting company, saw Shen Yun in Linköping, Sweden, on April 23.
“The performance was amazing. I was in tears sitting in the audience. I was deeply moved. It’s incredible that Shen Yun could move me so much. It really touched my heart. It was so wonderful, so warm, so beautiful, it’s hard to describe. It was such a wonderful feeling. I’m so happy that I finally got to see Shen Yun today,” he said.
“What moved me the most was probably the first show or the last show. I can’t tell anymore. I cried several times. It was so touching.
“When I watched the show, I felt as if everything came from heaven, emitting the light of warmth and kindness. I saw compassion triumphing over hatred. One day, kindness will prevail,” he said.
For more information about performance times, locations, and tickets, please visit www.shenyun.com.
All content published on this website is copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
