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Shen Yun, the New York-based classical Chinese dance and music company, has returned to Vienna for the fourth year, performing at the Wiener Stadthalle, one of Austria's most popular indoor entertainment centers, designed by the well-known Austrian architect Roland Rainer.
"The color yellow that predominated during the show was just as if the sun is coming up on the horizon," Mr. Reischek said during intermission. He was delighted to be at the show and wouldn't have missed it for the world, he said.
"The choreography is fantastic," he added.
"I was fascinated by the male dancers," he said, and his wife chimed in, saying, "They had perfect body control."
The couple also commented on the dancers' facial expressions, saying it was "truly astonishing."
"The facial expression of the Mongols, who mirrored perfectly riding a horse on the steppe, or in the first scene, was just amazing."
A highlight of the performance is the animated backdrop with hi-tech images projected behind the dancers that lift the stage and set it amidst blossoming landscapes, deep forests, Mongolian prairies, or celestial paradises.
"I have never experienced such a backdrop," said Mr. Reischek, with his wife agreeing.
"There was something new continuously, something unexpected, something one had never seen before," she said.
Both were amazed at the coordination and perfect harmony between the dancers, and "everything looked so natural," said Ms. Reischek.
Mr. Reischek commented on the contemporary scenes, depicting the persecution of Falun Gong, an ancient mind-body practice that is still persecuted in China today.
"There are some truly serious elements in some of the scenes," he said.
The dance Our Story, inspired by a true account, is about a beloved teacher who writes the Chinese words for "truth," "compassion," and "tolerance" on the blackboard, essential values in classical China and central to the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, when state police burst into her classroom and take her away. The loyal students rise to protect their teacher.
"That scene left me with a lot to think about," he said.
Ms. Reischek also felt deeply touched with what she had seen so far and said, 'It is quite noticeable that the artists dance with all their heart … they are so natural."
Reporting by Rosemarie Fruehauf and Heide B. Malhotra.
Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company will perform in Vienna, Austria, at the Wiener Stadthalle, May 1-4. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
