Thousands turn up at the 14th Tibetan Opera Festival at TIPA Tuesday, 4 March 2008, 7:10 p.m.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrives at the opening ceremony of the 14th Shoton Festival this morning at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (Photo: Sangjey Kep)

Dharamshala: His Holiness the Dalai Lama graced the opening ceremony of the 14th Shoton, festival of the Tibetan Opera, as the chief guest at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA).The six-day annual celebration of Tibetan opera gala kicked off this morning.

The rich rendition of Tibetan operatic repertoire and an aura of traditional festivity at TIPA drew a large gathering of around 2000 people.

The festival celebrates the arrival of summer, prosperity and triumph for all sentient being in the coming year.

Wangchuk Phasur, director of theIn his welcome address, Mr TIPA, expressed his gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for gracing the event and extended warm welcome to all the guests and audience.

He thanked Heinrich Boll Foundation, Germany, for its support in the revival and preservation of Shoton Festival – an ancient tradition of Tibet.

He also gave the historical origin of this ancient opera festival and emphasised the importance of Tibetan traditional performing arts.

Other dignitaries present at the ceremony were the chief justice commissioner, justice commissioners, Kalon Tripa, members of the Kashag, the speaker, the deputy speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, members of Parliament and the officials of the CTA.

This year’s festival will feature more than 210 artistes from five opera companies including, Lhamo performers from various Tibetan settlements in Bhandara, Bylakuppee, Mundgod, and the Tibetan Homes Foundation, Mussoorie.

Each company presented 60-minutes opera extracts today.

In the subsequent days of the festival,they will present various opera stories, such as Chungpo Donyoe Dhondup, Choegyal Drimeh Kunden, Nangsa Woebum, Jowo Jhe Palden Atisha, Prince Norsang.

The 14th Shoton Festival will conclude on 9 March.

Taking responsibility in reviving this ancient tradition, in late seventies, Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts organised Shoton Festival for the first time in India in 1993.