Lhamo

Ache Lhamo in front of Gongkar Dzong, 1939

Lhamo, or Ache Lhamo, which literally means "sister goddess", is a Tibetan folk opera. It is a combination of dances, chants and songs. The repertoire is drawn from Chinese Buddhist stories and Tibetan folklore history.

The Tibetan opera was founded in the 14th century by Thang Tong Gyalpo, a Lama and a bridge builder. Gyalpo and seven recruited girls organized the first performance to raise funds for building bridges, which would facilitate transportation in Tibet. The tradition continued, and lhamo is held on various festive occasions such as the Linka and Shoton festival.

The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts at Dharamsala, runs an opera company, which produces shows to promote this art form. Brooklyn-based singer Doe Paoro trained there while living in the region, and blends the opera's vocally acrobatic stylings with elements of soul, dubstep, and R&B.

The Lhamo is part of the China's UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.^[1]

See also: Yungchen Lhamo

Notable performers

• Namgyal Lhamo

See also

• Namling County, home to Xiangba Tibetan Opera

External links

• His Holiness the 40th Sakya Trizin at Dekyi Lingka Garden, Lhasa, Tibet in 1947, visiting His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

References

v t e Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity: music Aka polyphony Albanian folk iso-polyphony Angklung Arabic maqam Ashik Ashiqs of Azerbaijan Azerbaijani performance art of the tar Baul music Bećarac Bistritsa Babi Dainichido Bugaku Beijing opera Cantonese opera Cantu a tenore Ca trù Doina Duduk Fado Fujara Gagaku Gagok Garifuna music Georgian polyphonic singing Guqin Hua'er Hudhud chants Istrian scale Kgal Laox Koodiyattam Kumi Odori Kunqu Lhamo Long song Maloya Maqam al-iraqi Meshrep Morin khuur Mugham Muqam Nanyin Nhã nhạc Ojkanje singing Pansori Pirekua Quan họ Radif Sama Samba de roda Shashmaqam Silbo Gomero language Sutartinės The Song of Sana’a The Song of the Sibyl Vedic chant Wayang kulit