Published by: World Tibet Network News, Tuesday, July 30, 1996

LHASA (July 26) XINHUA - More than 500 performers from 11 artistic troupes in the Tibet Autonomous Region are giving performances for urbanites and rural citizens of the region.

The performances include singing and dancing, Tibetan opera, modern drama, and large evening parties on the biggest scale seen in recent years.

All of them were designed or refined after 1993, expanding on traditional Tibetan themes or displaying characteristics of the times. The performances are given in theaters, on public squares, at factories, or in villages, and many are free of charge.

The region's artistic undertakings have improved over the years. There are three professional troupes and an arts school at the regional level, and local cities and prefectures have organized their own teams.

More than 1,200 people are engaged in professional artistic performances, and every year more than 500 performances are given in rural areas, sometimes in rather remote ones.

The performances are for promoting art and attracting more viewers, said Sheizhu Namgyai, director of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Cultural Department.