In the Tibetan language voiced as Lhamo (meaning Sister Fairy), the general term, Tibetan opera, is commonly applied to describe folk operas of the Tibet Autonomous Region. This five-century-old melding of acting, voice and dance performance is also popular in other regions of China, especially those areas partially populated by Tibetan people, such as the provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai and Yunnan.

Tibetan opera was originally conceived by a legendary figure, Thangthong Gyalpo, a Tibetan Buddhist monk who lived during the 14th and 15th centuries. In the course of his devout pilgrimage, the monk witnessed the arduous nature of the Tibetan people's work and daily life. He realized that much of their toil was due to a lack of efficient road networks and bridges, and he determined to conceive of a way to raise money to finance the construction of such new avenues of transit.

And so it was that he enlisted the services of the seven sisters from Qonggyai County of the Shannan Prefecture. These beautiful women were also graced with melodic voices for singing and strong bodies for dancing. They would form a troupe, create an historic form of performance art, and their legacy fruitfully endures today.

Onstage two sisters acted the part of hunters, two acted as princes, two acted as fairies, and one played a cymbal of musical accompaniment. After Thangthong Gyalpo adapted various Buddhist tales and legends into simple song and dance dramas, he directed the performances. The team performed across the region of Tibet, and in this way money was raised for the construction of roads and bridges. The seven lovely women, with their graceful dancing and exquisite singing, won wide acclaim throughout the territory. Thus, they gained fame as the Sister Fairy Troupe, and Tibetan opera was here to stay.

In the middle of the 15th century, inspired by Tibetan arts, Thangthong Gyalpo conceived of this new form of acting, singing and dancing, with plotlines inspired by Tibetan Buddhism, folk legends, and fairy tales. Still today, revered within some temples of Tibet are the paintings and sculptures depicting Thangthong Gyalpo, an imposing and dignified figure resplendent in garb with a snow-white moustache and eyebrows.
Maturing over the course of several centuries, Tibetan opera has become a refined art, a culture and, for some, a way of life. Performances generally take place in the open air, while a few are performed on indoor stages. Excepting the flamboyant masks, the performers' makeup is comparatively simple. Usually a drum and a cymbal is enough to serve as the required percussion instruments. A narrator introduces each chapter as the opera unfolds. Singing is the dominant element, while dialogue is sparse. Martial arts and dancing are also frequently part of the format. Typically a dance number follows a section of singing. The modern format divides an opera into several acts, and the total length of the performance does not usually exceed a few hours. However, in less hectic times past a total performance could last a day, two days, or even several consecutive days.


Generally speaking, a Tibetan opera is divided into three parts. For the prelude, with colorful arrows in hands, a man in the costume of a hunter takes the stage and sings a song of blessings. Then a prince enters, symbolizing the bliss of heaven. Next several fairies take the stage, performing religious rituals and conveying that they have descended to the world of mortals to share their happiness with humans. Then comes the main story. Following is an epilogue which features a ceremonial blessing (also the time for donations from the audience).

Tibetan opera enjoys a huge following in Tibet. Besides many senior citizens who are long-time devotees, the fanciful performance art is popular with youngsters. And many young people are learning and training in this most Chinese form of opera. This new generation is expected to faithfully carry the form forward.

Tashi is just one such Tibetan follower. At the age of 12 he began his training and never stopped. Now the head of a Tibetan opera troupe in Lhasa City, from memory Tashi can recite opera scripts up to seven or eight hours in length, and he can remain onstage singing for several hours. Under his influence, Tashi's entire family, including his mother, two sisters and his wife, are loyal playgoers. His two sisters and his wife are even backbone members of Tibetan opera troupes.

Tashi's troupe mainly features performances done in a style faithful to the original Tibetan operas created centuries before. Generally speaking, the operas are performed during the day and require no lighting and no complicated stage settings. Simply erecting a traditional prayer banner or hanging a thangka painting facing the audience is enough. In Tibetan farming and pastoral areas, operas may be partially enclosed by a temporary tent or canvas, or not covered at all, and troupes can perform at anytime in virtually any open space. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, there were famous Tibetan opera troupes in Lhasa, Gyangze, and Ngamring. Now there are more troupes than ever before in Tibet. Just in Maizhokunggar County, near Lhasa, there are more than 20 folk troupes.

Though with only 18 members at the time of its founding in 1979, the Tibetan Opera Troupe of Niangre Township in Lhasa now comprises 69 performers and support people. They visit villages near Lhasa to perform in restaurants and hotels for visitors from home and abroad, and they are often invited to tour to such prefectures as Xigaze and Nyingchi. Gelong, the troupe's manager, firmly believes that fundamentally their success is due to the performers'talent. But after managing his troupe for nearly 15 years, he has his own views as to what most particularly pleases local, national and foreign audiences. "Tibetan audiences like the authentic flavor of the opera, people from other parts of China prefer the graceful Tibetan music, elocution, and singing of the opera, and foreign friends like our costumes and masks, which are full of Tibetan flavor."

China Pictorial
Zhao Yue