Opera North presents Rusalka, a spellbinding tale of innocence, yearning, disappointment and the transcendent power of love inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid.

Rusalka, is a water nymph, who yearns to be part of the human world having fallen in love with a Prince, who often comes to the lake to swim. Desperate to achieve her wish Rusalka enlists the help of the forest witch. However, to become human she will lose her voice, and if the Prince rejects her love, she will become an outcast forever, caught between the earthly world and the water world. Initially all goes well between the Prince and Rusalka, but eventually tiring of her silence, he turns his attentions elsewhere. Spurned by the Prince she loved so dearly, and for whom she gave up so much, Rusalka finds herself an outcast. Realising the folly of his actions and his true love for Rusalka, the Prince begs her to kiss him, even though she warns him that her kiss will be fatal. Assured of his love Rusalka is forced to make a heartrending sacrifice.

With an innocent soul, an evil witch, romance, love, betrayal and sacrifice, coupled with music which is easy on the ear, striking sets and lighting, the story evokes both a sensuous realm of moonlit dreams and the harsher human world.

Opera North's production of Rusalka will be at The Lowry, Salford Quays on Thursday 17 June at 7.00 pm. Rusalka is sung in English with English titles. For tickets and further information please call the Box Office on: 0843 208 6005 or visit www.thelowry.com We have joined forces with Opera North to promote this competition. Our lucky readers will have a chance to win one of five pairs of tickets to see Rusalka offered by Opera North in this easy to enter competition. The tickets will be for their production of Dvořák's Rusalka on Thursday 17 June at 7.00 pm.

HOW TO WIN!

To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the following question and email your answer, together with your name, address and daytime contact telephone number (please mark RUSALKA in your subject line). Closing date is 9.00am on June 2, 2010. Usual Newsquest Northwest rules apply. See competition rules section for details. No purchase necessary.

Question: Where will Rusalka be performed on Thursday, June 17?

Terms and Conditions:

The editor's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Employees of Newsquest Northwest, their families and anyone connected with this competition are not eligible to enter. Usual Newsquest Northwest rules apply. Winners will be notified by email wherever possible and Newsquest Northwest take no responsibility for unread emails which leads to prizes being untaken. Opera North may wish to contact you with further information, should you not wish to receive such information, please mark NO DATA on your entry.