Shen Yun Performing Arts arrived in Italy on Dec. 28, one of Europe’s cultural heartlands. Based in New York, Shen Yun is widely known as the world’s premier classical Chinese dance company, bringing to life traditional Chinese culture from before communism through stories, legends, vibrant costumes, and original music.

The performers could hardly hide their excitement.

Zile Ran, conductor of the Shen Yun Orchestra, said he is looking forward to performing in Italy.

“I’m very excited to come to Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, the birthplace of classical music. We will be performing at some of the world’s greatest opera houses and theaters. So I’m very, very much looking forward to that,” Ran said.

Principal dancer Daniel Sun said Italian audiences are known for their warmth.

“I think one of the most memorable experiences when we come to Italy is when we leave the theater. When we leave, the Italian audience always applauds us as we head to our buses or as we leave the theater. And that’s really heartwarming for us and gives us more motivation to do better,” Sun said.

This year marks Shen Yun’s 20th anniversary. The artists said they are grateful for the journey and for the opportunity to continue their mission of presenting traditional Chinese culture and sharing messages of beauty and truth with audiences around the world.

Eric Robinson, principal trumpet of the Shen Yun Orchestra, said the tour continues to grow each year.

“My feeling is that I’m very honored, very grateful. But I also have this sort of majestic feeling because every year it’s growing. Every year, we’re reaching more and more people. Every year, we’re bringing more beauty to the world. And it’s purely exciting—and a joy, a joy to do this. I’m very grateful to everyone who’s supportive of this effort,” Robinson said.

Sun said the production also carries deeper messages.

“I think in our show, we try to portray deeper morals that have been lost in society today, whether that be kindness or truthfulness. And I think that’s the kind of message we want to bring to audiences, especially in this day and age,” he said.

Principal dancer David Xiao said audiences deserve to see China’s traditional heritage.

“I think people deserve the right to see the real China, the real China before communism. And I think the traditional China, the values that we bring, is something that we can share together, universally,” Xiao said.

Rachel Chen, principal viola of the Shen Yun Orchestra, said the company also hopes to give a voice to those who cannot speak freely in China.

“I think it’s been a wonderful experience. But at the same time, I feel like it’s been great that I’m able to share the voices of the people in China whose voices cannot be heard, and share their stories, because the persecution in China is still ongoing,” Chen said.

Shen Yun artists say they look forward to bringing these messages to audiences in Italy.

Chen said Italy’s cultural appreciation makes it an ideal place to perform.

“I think the Italians, they really care about culture and tradition and the arts, and I think especially music. All the greatest musicians actually come from Italy, and the classical musicians as well. So I think the Italian audiences will really enjoy our show,” she said.

Robinson said the performance has also influenced him personally.

“I find that simple idea of both tradition and kindness as a way forward really holds me up and uplifts me. And I hope with my trumpet, I can uplift more people,” Robinson said.

Chen said she hopes the music brings hope to audiences.

“I really hope to share hope through music. I think the special thing about our music is that it’s very uplifting and very hopeful, it’s very bright. And I hope that kind of brightness is brought to the audience members as well,” she said.

Starting Dec. 30, Shen Yun will begin 46 performances across nine cities in Italy. According to organizers, 96 percent of all tickets have already been sold.

NTD News, Milan, Italy

NTD is a media sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts, covering audience reactions since 2006.