Canberra Times Article: Dancers lift the red veil from China (Photo)

(Clearwisdom.net) The Canberra Times published a report entitled, “Dancers lift the red veil from China,” on March 21 in Section No. 3 of the paper, introducing New Tang Dynasty Television’s (NTDTV) Chinese New Year Spectacular tour performances with a large photo. The article said, other than appreciating China’s traditional arts, through the performance, the audience can learn about China. They reported that the Chinese Communist regime currently still oppresses arts and freedom of speech. The article recommended that the public go see the New Tang Dynasty Television’s Global Chinese New Year Spectacular.

The media in Canberra have paid attention to and have given a favorable impression in the news about NTDTV’s Chinese New Year Spectacular. Over ten media outlets have made a series of related reports about the Spectacular. The Canberra Times is the only daily newspaper in the local area, with a circulation covering the entire Canberra area. On the day prior to the arrival of the Divine Performing Arts Troupe to Brisbane, there was a report in the sixth section of the Canberra Times. The day that the Divine Performing Arts Troupe arrived in Brisbane, the Canberra Times published an in-depth report in the seventh and eighth sections, highly praising the Spectacular as a larger-than-life theatrical spectacular, showcasing piety and the upholding of morality.

On March 15, the day prior to the Divine Performing Arts Troupe arrival in Australia, the Canberra Times once again published the news announcing the Divine Performing Arts Troupe's performances in Canberra. The day of the Divine Performing Arts Troupe's arrival on March 19, the newspaper ran an in-depth report entitled, “Inside a Celestial Kingdom,” highly praising the Divine Performing Arts Troupe's accompanied with two large photos.

The report of March 21 showed a photo of a dancer getting ready to perform: “Dancer Cecilia Xiong was aglow last night as she and 100 other performers applied their make-up backstage at a packed Canberra Theatre for the Chinese New Year Spectacular.

“The showcase of traditional Chinese music and dance told stories of ancient legends to an audience of 1200 people. ”

The report stated that the show carried a strong message “about the oppression of arts and freedom of speech under China's communist Government.”

The report discussed how NTDTV produced the show as part of its campaign to revive traditional Chinese art forms usurped by the Chinese Communist regime or lost since the Cultural Revolution.

The article continued, “Most of the performers were Asian-Americans, trained in classical ballet, who learned traditional Chinese dance for the tour of 30 cities around the world.” The report introduced Sydney dance teacher Vina Lee, one of three Australians on the tour.

The newspaper interviewed Ms. Lee: “She said performing on the tour helped her discover the true meaning behind some of the dances she had learned as a girl in Beijing.

“Lee said she once performed "loyalty dances" for the Chinese government but teaching Aboriginal dancers in Redfern in Sydney had opened her eyes to the spirituality of traditional dance.”

The article talked about how NTDTV has produced New Year galas and the Spectacular for the past four years, and that this year it has attracted great attention around the world for a scene in which Chinese policemen kill a Falun Gong practitioner.

The article reported that the show on March 20, “depicted battles between good and evil, from the legends of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. It delved into 5000 years of Chinese history, using elaborate costumes, sets and props. Set designer Ken Chieh Hsu referred to archaeological records, paintings and books to recreate authentic scenes.

“Traditional musical instruments, such as the two-stringed lute and Chinese violin, were used to play music composed for the show by Lisa Li, whose compositions also featured in the acclaimed movie The Last Emperor.”

The article reported that the show was hosted by Canberra's Asian Culture Association.

It quoted vice-president Songfa Liu, who said that “the show proved there was more to China than communism and a soaring economy.”

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2007/3/22/151330.html

 Yearly Archive   Printer Version