The finale of most shows is a stirring version of Georg Friderich Handel's Messiah.
There is a tradition of singing to camels, in deserts from India to Mongolia and dromedarius mothers often "sing" lullabies to their calves and heifers. Tuareg herders have a saying: "A sad song causes many camel tears."
On a controversial note, Shuma the Singing Camel is backed by a cigarette company that specializes in blends of American and Turkish tobaccos.
One of the show's routines -- in which a camel is dressed in Rastafarian colors, smokes and sings Bob Marley's Babylon by Bus -- was dropped in Australia, where the issue of tobacco sponsorship was contentious for animal campaigners.
A spokesman for the show said the camels were the best-cared-for camels on the planet, with personal trainers, a diet overseen by nutritionists, 24-hour veterinary care and various benefits such as access to males while in season.
Tickets for Shuma the Singing Camel, which ranged from NT$1,000 to NT$5,000, have sold out, but a limited number of stall seats have been made available free to Taipei Times readers from today, through e-mail only at features@taipeitimes.com.
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