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FRANKFURT, Germany—Standing ovations throughout the night, frequent applause, a curtain call and acclaim from peers: the audience that filled the Jahrhunderthalle on February 21 and 22 gave the Divine Performing Arts all this in exchange for their performance of “consummate beauty and goodness.”
The head of a music education center took 10 of his 450 students to see the performance. After careful scrutiny, the only criticism he had was that the orchestra was in the pit and not on stage with the dancers and singers.
“I found it wonderful, but it would have been much better if the orchestra would have sat above and not below. The sound would have been much better. I think it sounded very nicely with its oriental influences, Chinese influences and also European influences. The harmony was exceptionally good.
“I did like the costumes and colors very much. Beautiful colors were mixed together and it was very bright.”
The music master particularly liked the singing.
“Beautiful voice! It was amazing. I listened to the singing with a critical ear, but it was just great.”
The DPA orchestra is unique in the world for its Eastern and Western instruments placed side by side. The erhu, sometimes called the Chinese violin, enjoyed a solo number. It was one of the rare instruments that did sit on stage and the maestro noticed.
“It sounded very interesting. It sounded like a singer's voice. It only has two strings, but it sounds as if there are more [strings]. It looks very plain but sounds absolutely great and is very impressive. Also, the way she played [was amazing]. The fusion between the tones was totally different. Very interesting for European ears to hear.”
The DPA program also contains several contemporary pieces which highlight issues faced by mainlanders living still under communist rule. One of the pieces depicts the persecution inside China of peaceful spiritual practitioners who are arrested and tortured for their beliefs. The Chinese consulate in Frankfurt had tried to prevent the show and these scenes being performed.
“No one can understand that. Just keep going, yes. Just keep going. It is of no importance what the Chinese regime wants or not. You just must go on. This right belongs to the art. There is nothing dangerous against China [in this show]. Just keep going,” the headmaster said.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Divine Performing Arts. Please see DivinePerformingArts.org for more information.
