One lucky person will win the "Ultimate Night Out in Annapolis" on Friday, March 15 courtesy of a Facebook contest sponsored by the Annapolis Opera. The local, non-profit arts organization is celebrating the culmination of its 40th anniversary on March 15 and 17 with performances of Giuseppe Verdi's  "Rigoletto" at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts (scroll down to learn more about Rigoletto). As part of its ongoing efforts to make Opera more accessible to the local community, the Opera is giving away two tickets to the Friday, March 15 performance as part of the contest.

In addition to tickets to Rigoletto, the winner will be provided with a private, chauffeured town car for the evening courtesy of Annapolis Transportation Solutions, a tux rental courtesy of Annapolis Formal & Tuxedos, dinner for two at Metropolitan Kitchen & Lounge, and a private after party (with a complimentary bottle of champagne) for 10 friends on Metropolitan's heated, enclosed rooftop. 

The evening will be extra special thanks to Zachary's Jewelers, who will treat the couple like royalty before the performance with champagne and chocolates while they select any piece of jewelry valued at up to $5,000 to "borrow" for the evening. 

The contest is open to anyone living within 50 miles of downtown Annapolis. Anyone wishing to enter must "like" Annapolis Opera on Facebook and complete the contest entry form located here: 

The deadline for entry is Wednesday, March 13 at 11:59 PM EST, and the winner will be notified by email.

Seduction, betrayal, revenge... and a whole lot of drama! Although Giuseppe Verdi wrote Rigoletto in 1850, the themes and storyline play right out of an episode of Mob Wives. A powerful man who is a serious womanizer gets involved with three women at once. The father of one feels that his daughter is being taken advantage of and puts a hit out on the guy. Things go sideways, and instead of killing the womanizing man, the hit man instead kills one of his lovers. That girl's father is devastated, etcetera.

Based on Victor Hugo's play Le Roi S'Amuse, Rigoletto was originally written in the year 1850 as the story of a European King who was an immoral and cynical womanizer. At the time, Northern Italy was controlled by Austria, and the Austrian Board of Censors banned the work because of its perceived immorality and negative depiction of royalty.  In response, Verdi made a number of changes, including making the King a Duke, and the play Rigoletto was born. 

Today, Rigoletto is one of the most popular operas of all time, with songs like Le Donna e Mobile and Caro Nome recognizable even to people who have never attended an opera before. If you've never been to the opera, this is the performance to attend! It's a great show, with all the drama of reality TV, but better costumes, more culture, and a fantastic soundtrack.

If you've never been to the opera before, you should know:

• It is NOT a black tie event. Don't feel like you have to dress for a ball - just wear what you would for a nice dinner out.
• Although Annapolis Opera is a local company, the folks on stage are professional opera singers who come from across the East Coast specifically for these performances. Wait until you hear their voices!
• Yes, they sing in Italian - but you'll understand everything thanks to "supertitles" in English that are projected over the stage.
• Make sure you arrive on time, because once the doors closed, you won't be able to enter the theatre again until intermission.
• Musical accompaniment for Rigoletto will be provided live by the Annapolis Symhony Orchestra, so coming to the opera is like getting a two-for-one deal!

The performances will take place on Friday, March 15 at 8:00pm and Sunday, March 17 at 3:00 pm, with a pre-performance lecture one hour before, at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts (801 Chase St., Annapolis, Maryland).

Buy Tickets

Tickets are $90 for Section A, $75 for Section B, and $25 for students. Group discounts are also available.