Shen Yun Reviews: Actor and Voice Coach: ‘See a China you don’t know about’

Valentine Palmer, producer, voice coach, actor, and former singer, who has previously performed at the London Coliseum, attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the venue, April 12.

“Some of the pieces were so exciting that I was emotionally moved,” said Mr. Palmer, “I felt I wanted to cry, and I don’t cry easily.”

“It’s quite extraordinary, the dancing because every one of those dancers could be a premier solo dancer. Here at the Coliseum, or at the Royal Ballet, it’s quite extraordinary,” he said, “Some of those leaps and moves are amazing. It’s like they’re made of elastic, you know stretches. And if I tried any of those, I’d be in the hospital for a year.”

Mr. Palmer has appeared in Dr Who and other popular British TV series. He is a voice and presentation expert who has worked with major organizations like IBM, Cisco Systems, and Abbott Laboratories, and frequently appears on television.

With his background in singing, Mr. Palmer commented on the Shen Yun soloists: “When we get trained as singers, serious singers, we train in the Italian way, usually singing Italian. Now, when you sing in Mandarin or Cantonese—whichever—using this kind of Italian style, it’s very, very difficult, because the Chinese voice is placed, say up here?” he explained, motioning, “I was particularly impressed by the tenor—wonderful, wonderful tenor voice, and I think there was a top C in there somewhere. Very impressive.”

“We’re living in the 21^st century, and when we think of China, most of us, we think of iPads, telephones. We don’t think of culture, “ he said, “Just keep going, and eventually the world will give way, and it’ll be recognized.”

“I would say, if you’ve never been to China, come and learn some of the truths about China. And if you have been to China, come and see a China you don’t know about,” Mr. Palmer concluded.