Shen Yun Opens at the Citi Wang Theatre in Boston

BOSTON—The appearance of the sun on Friday was a welcome change as New Englanders were still digging out from the barrage of winter storms that have hit the area.

Inside the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre on Friday evening, Feb. 11, spirits brightened even more as Shen Yun Performing Arts, the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company, appeared on stage for the first time.

New York-based Shen Yun has been coming to Boston as a regular stop on its annual world tour for the past five years, but this year’s performance is the company’s debut at the Citi Wang Theatre.

John Taylor and Susan Forward were in the audience for the first of four shows at the historic venue.

“The colors, the costumes, the scenery, the set design—it’s beautiful,” said Ms. Forward during intermission.

Mr. Taylor runs a nonprofit organization, and Ms. Forward is a government worker. They had independently given each other tickets to the show as a Christmas gift.

“We actually saw an advertisement, and we both independently liked what we saw. For Christmas, we actually gave each other, not realizing it, tickets to this show. And when we opened it, we had both purchased tickets,” Mr. Taylor explained. So the two will be coming back on Sunday to see the show again.

“It’s just beautiful,” said Mr. Taylor. “The dance is just so elegant. … I can’t describe it. It’s just pleasant to watch. It’s just awesome.”

The Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company, one of Shen Yun’s three touring companies that are currently staging performances simultaneously worldwide, will be in Boston through the weekend with two more shows on Saturday and a matinee on Sunday.

Reporting by Steve Gigliotti and Connie Phillips

For more information on Shen Yun’s world tour schedule and the shows in Boston at the Citi Performing Arts Center Wang Theatre Feb. 11–13, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org .