The fairy-tale romance of Cinderella and Prince Charming has captivated audiences for centuries. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the New Orleans Opera will debut an elegant reinterpretation of French composer Jules Massenet’s 4-act rendition of the timeless love story, Cendrillon. A company premiere, OffBeat is giving away a pair of tickets to each show, which will take place at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 14, and on Sunday, February 16 at 2:30 p.m.. To enter into the drawing, simply fill out the form below by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 12. The lucky winners will be notified by Noon on Friday, February 14.

Judith Gauthier will star as Cendrillon in the New Orleans Opera's Cinderella.

Directed by Jose-Maria Condemi and conducted by conducting Robert Lyall, the stellar cast stars mezzo-soprano Judith Gauthier as Cendrillon, mezzo-soprano Marie Lenormand as Prince Charming, soprano Kathryn Lewek as Cendrillon’s fairy godmother, and mezzo-soprano Luretta Bybee as Madame de la Haltière (Cendrillon’s cruel stepmother). More information regarding the New Orleans Opera’s upcoming performance of Massenet’s Cendrillon, including a synopsis of the show’s acts as well as profiles on each cast member is available online at neworleansopera.org. The opera will be sung in French, and English subtitles will be will be projected above the stage.

Tickets to see Cendrillon at the Mahalia Jackson Theater on February 14, 2014 range from $27.85 to 187.85 (plus processing fees) and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster. The Mahalia Jackson Theatre is located at 1419 Basin Street (map). Curtains will open at 8:00 p.m.

One hour before showtime, New Orleans Opera Association archivist and historian Jack Belsom will conduct an free lecture. Following the opera, a meet-and-greet with Gauthier and Lewek wll take place at 10:30 p.m. Tickets for the meet-and-greet are $75 in advance or $100 at the door. Call (504) 529-2278 ext. 232 to purchase advanced meet-and-greet tickets. Proceeds from these tickets will go towards the New Orleans Opera Association’s Youth Education Program. Meet-and-greet attendees will also be treated to champagne, strawberries and other desserts.

For all other inquiries, please email or call the association’s Director of Audience Development Nancy Watts at [email protected] or (504) 529-2278 ext. 225. A second performance of Cendrillon will take at the theater on Sunday, February 16 at 2:30 p.m.

To try your hand at winning a pair of tickets to Friday’s performance of Cendrillon compliments of OffBeat and the New Orleans Opera Association, fill out this form…