Photo taken on March 2, 2017 shows that two actresses from Tsomey Village's Tibetan Opera Team are preparing for the performance. [Photo/Xinhua]

March 2, 2017 is the fourth day of the Tibetan New Year. At noon, Tsomey Village Committee put up the Opera stage and villagers got together waiting to see Tibetan Opera in the yard. Behind the stage, performers of Tsomey Village’s Tibetan Opera Team were preparing to go up on the stage in gorgeous custumes. In recent years, Tibet has been continuously increasing its support for the folk Tibetan opera as well as built digital archives for folk Tibetan opera. The number of folk Tibetan opera teams throughout the region has increased from less than 50 in 2009 to 133 in 2016.

Photo taken on March 2, 2017 shows that actresses from Tsomey Village's Tibetan Opera Team are performing for the villagers. [Photo/Xinhua]

Tibetan opera, which means Fairy in Tibetan, is the traditional opera of Tibet. It is said that the art tradition was created by Drupthok Thangthong Gyalpo, a monk and ridge builder in the 14th century. The tradition was passed down and developed into Tibetan opera, popular throughout the region. Usually performances were held on various festive occasions, such as Shoton. The traditional drama is a combination of dances, chants, songs, and masks. A Tibetan opera performance follows fixed procedures. Each performance begins with the purification of the stage and a blessing to the God. A narrator sings a summary of the story in verse. Then performers enter and start dancing and singing. The performance ends with a ritual of blessing.