LOS ANGELES—This Sunday afternoon was Shen Yun Performing Arts’ final performance of its stay in L.A. on its West Coast summer tour, where the audience at the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion were dazzled, enlightened, and inspired with the authentic, majestic culture of China.

Attending the matinee performance was film producer and author Michael Mandeville, and his daughter Julia.

“I thought one thing was the incredible amount of coordination they had to use both in terms of music, the visuals, the dance, the movement—just takes a lot of work and a lot of timing,” commented Mandeville, who, as a line producer at UPN, understands what this involves.

“I don’t know much about dance, but I appreciate all that effort I could see in that show,” he added, of the execution of intricate dance moves by the skilled and graceful performers.

“There are very distinct regional differences between the silver outfits, the Mongolian, and the flower dance,” noted Mandeville. “A lot of these differences were very interesting.”

Mandeville also spoke about the innovative quality and effect of a digitalized screen. “I like the way it was presented in terms of [having] this backdrop of the photography of the setting and the way they came up from behind the stage, to create an illusion of depth. I thought that was very creative.”

Behind each dance piece is the Shen Yun orchestra, playing original scores written for each dance.

“I would say that the live orchestra is exceptional. It was an unexpected pleasure. The grace of the players is still astounding, once again,” he said.

Among his favorite musical sections however, was the solo erhu, a bowed, two-stringed instrument. “I always liked that instrument. I always thought it was very soulful. It’s almost like a child crying and that one has always been touching to me.”

Mr. Mandeville said he owned recordings of Chinese music, and “so I was very pleased to see that on stage. The other music I thought was very bright and to see them pantomime the emotions was extraordinary.”

In fact, Mandeville studied Chinese culture in depth for his work. “I read extensively about it for a novel I wrote, which had to do interestingly enough, with the communists and their oppression.”

“And here you see it in the show,” Mandeville said, regarding the communist persecution of Falun Gong going on in China today, which is presented in two dramatic and heartfelt dance pieces in Shen Yun.

He said he “thought it was extraordinary” that the show included a statement about “what’s going on over there, and that people should realize it.”

“Not only is it for our amusement and entertainment, but also that we get something out of it—to realize it, that the simple act of having a religion or a belief shouldn’t be condemned,” Mandeville acknowledged.

“I think it actually shows much more courage in this show than sometimes what Hollywood could show in making a movie about that very subject [Falun Gong], which is so ripe to be done and not being done.”

“And here you have it in the show,” concludes Mandeville, “boldly, thoughtfully, and to make people think.”

With reporting by New Tang Dynasty TV.

Shen Yun Performing Arts has concluded its performances at the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. They are next touring San Diego from July 13-15 and then onto Northern California. For more information visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. 

Original article: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/39003/