Accompanied by forceful sound of drums, the Tibetan opera called King after a Horse Race was recently performed in the square in front of the Rangtang County Government building of Ngawa Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province, with actors' quick and energetic dance steps.

King after a Horse Race tells the story of how Gesar, a hero in Tibetan tales, was crowned king after a horse race victory and how he became a tribal leader.

Offstage, Ngawang Tenzin, the director, frequently gives out instructions to the actors by clanging cymbals or beating a gong.

"King after a Horse Race is my favorite of the 11 pieces I have composed," Ngawang Tenzin said.

"I have specially added and changed more than 20 dance moves for this performance, and the original three-hour performance has been shortened to one hour."

What is the purpose of shortening the length of the performance and changing and adding new movements?

According to Ngawang Tenzin, Tibetan opera performances are often quite long, and it's easy for the actors and audience to get tired. Therefore, Ngawang Tenzin cut it without changing the content of the play or vocal musi. By updating the actors' gestures and hand movements, body movements and poses, controlling the drum beats and rhythm, he is able to gradually shorten the length of the performance.