Tibetan Opera, or Lhamo, which means "sister goddess" in the Tibetan language, is steeped in over 600 years of history and is regarded as a "living fossil" of Tibetan culture.

It combines a rich variety of singing, acting, dancing, storytelling, and religious performances, like modern musicals. 

Much of the inspiration for this classical art form comes from Buddhist teachings and Tibetan history. Performers wear colorful masks that represent different identities. For example, a red mask refers to the king, green to the queen and yellow to lamas and deities. It was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.