20 years in the past, the Ellie Caulkins Opera Home opened its doorways, and through these 20 years, the corridor has witnessed unforgettable performances, magical moments, and numerous faces come and go. The Ellie has cemented itself as a creative landmark of Denver and Colorado, welcoming patrons of the Arts Complicated with its stunning facade—however extra importantly, the reminiscences made inside. To honor 20 years of our magnificent residence, we requested 20 totally different folks linked to Opera Colorado in several methods about their favourite reminiscence of The Ellie.
Dr. Larry Berliner, donor and subscriber
We’ve been Opera Colorado subscribers for a few years, ever since transferring right here 24 years in the past, and donors since 2021. Our fondest reminiscence was the 2024 Household Day at The Ellie the place the Artists in Residence introduced Cinderella.
Previous to occurring stage with our two granddaughters to look at the present, there was music and crafts within the foyer. Our 5-year-old granddaughter, Verity, whose profession plans on the time have been to be a princess, was dancing along with her father, wearing a princess gown that enchanted everybody. To our shock, their dancing was videotaped by Opera Colorado and later used of their promoting and efficiency packages for a minimum of a yr. What a memorable present for our household to be a part of this!
Joe Beumer, Lighting Designer
Designing for Opera Colorado within the Ellie is all the time a unbelievable expertise, and one huge a part of that’s the superior workforce of electricians I get the possibility to work with.
Two of my favourite issues are their love of all issues Halloween (together with group pictures of the entire lighting/electrics workforce in Wigs) and the best way they embellish the designer-submitted drawings with their very own personalities.
After I design, I submit boring black and white drawings, however the electrics crew finds methods so as to add themselves into the drawings—actually taking possession of the method. This instance is from 2024’s Daughter of the Regiment and includes a mixture of those two issues: the electrics crew added themselves into the drawings, together with a lot of their Halloween costumes that they had worn earlier that week.
Claudia Bieschke, volunteer
Of all my reminiscences on the Ellie, nothing beats my first backstage tour. It had been years since I’d seen the interior workings of a theater—not since my childhood on the Sydney Opera Home, the very place my love for the artwork type started—and it was a shocking reminder of the artistry taking place off-stage. Witnessing the dedication in every thing from costume design to rehearsals actually highlighted the collaborative spirit it takes to mount a world-class manufacturing.
Mark J. Gabriel DeBell, Denver Theatrical Providers Manufacturing Supervisor, Denver Performing Arts Complicated
Over time, I’ve had the chance to work with Opera Colorado as a common Stagehand, their Grasp Electrician and as a Lighting Designer for 2 Mainstage productions in addition to their Younger Artists Program, now generally known as the Artists in Residence. My final 13 years, I’ve superior their productions for The Ellie as a Venue Manufacturing Supervisor. My all-time favourite expertise was having the ability to mild La bohème in 2010, the collaboration with the Inventive Workers to assist create such a lovely manufacturing was exhilarating.
Michele DiNuovo, Opera Colorado Refrain Present & Founding Member
As a founding refrain member with Opera Colorado, I’ve had the pleasure of working with so many well-known singers and conductors over the previous 43 years. Every contributing title recognition, great ability and experience, and imaginative interpretations that mesmerized not solely the viewers, however everybody —refrain, supers, dressers, stage administration, and stage fingers… it didn’t matter who you have been, Opera Colorado was all the time an expertise that modified your life.
The transfer into the brand new Ellie Caulkins Opera Home in 2005 was a game-changer for the corporate. I don’t assume we understand how fantastic a venue it’s and what number of unimaginable reminiscences have been generated from the expertise previously 20 years. From the notorious rubber hen that props would ever so discretely place behind the surroundings of every present, leaving all of us looking for it every night time to the behind-the-scenes enjoyable such because the pre-show struggle rehearsal of La fanciulla del West that all of the sudden devolved right into a imprecise rendition of a hip-hop rap replete with beat boxing.
Personally, I used to be grateful to have portrayed an atypical character that added an additional comical component. My favourite reminiscence from the various exhibits on the Ellie Caulkins Opera Home is once I performed the function of “Hop-Sing” in David Gately’s cowboy western interpretation of Don Pasquale. Hop-Sing was the bodyguard and valet of the titular function. Again in these days, sensitivities to stereotypes weren’t as prevalent as they’re in the present day. The character was, certainly, a stereotype from the outdated TV present Bonanza. As such, David sought me out for the half as a result of of these sensitivities and the truth that I’m half Asian (Japanese). David requested me to do some karate strikes, however I didn’t know the very first thing about karate, so I sought out a karate grasp to show me some primary routines; it appeared to have been convincing and was comedian sufficient to have acquired a variety of laughs and applause.
Angie Dombrowski, Orchestra Supervisor
On April 27, 2021, at 11:45 a.m., I stepped on the Ellie Caulkins Opera Home stage for the primary time since March 1, 2020, when the corporate introduced its closing efficiency of Pagliacci. As I stepped on the stage for the primary time in nearly 14 months, I noticed the ghost mild shining brightly, entrance and heart, and I felt an immense wave of gratitude for the chance to be again and dreaming of what could be attainable within the performing arts neighborhood. To be a part of the workforce that labored to convey again the performing arts to our Denver neighborhood in a secure manner in the course of the pandemic was an extremely highly effective reminiscence.
Kendra Inexperienced, Manufacturing Stage Supervisor
My favourite reminiscences at The Ellie are instances when our complete workforce got here collectively to resolve an issue, like when certainly one of our singers needed to name out sick final minute from Rigoletto and we needed to placed on our assistant director in his function. Whereas moments like which might be hectic, they activate our unimaginable manufacturing workforce with a “the-show-must-go-on” vitality. All departments—costuming, course, lighting, and many others.—come collectively below stress to nonetheless convey the magic to our audiences.
Barbara Lynne Jamison, Ellie Caulkins Common Director & CEO
The Ellie is a crucial, vibrant house; it’s the fireside of our residence metropolis. It’s the place we will collect to share house with our neighbors, to rejoice the enjoyment of being human via story, track, and spectacle. I’m proud to be a part of a neighborhood that values gathering, generosity, magnificence, and the ability of the human spirit—and The Ellie is a powerful manifestation of those values.
Richard Koseff, Opera Colorado Board Chair
Probably the most magical latest second at The Ellie for me was on the closing of the opening night time efficiency of Puccini’s Turandot. At that second, the emotion of the story, singing, orchestra, costumes, and staging mixed with the viewers leaping to their ft actually underscored the unbeatable worth of reside efficiency—how the emotions of hundreds of individuals turned a tangible a part of the expertise. Then, when the lights got here up, our Denver viewers appeared so elegant and blissful. The magic of what Opera Colorado did actually shine that night time!
Jessica & Marc Levy, subscribers
Our first expertise at The Ellie was in 2014 once we had the enjoyment of seeing a pricey good friend, John Hancock, carry out Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. Round that very same time, our daughter went off to varsity the place she fell in love with opera. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and along with her encouragement and perception we discovered ourselves on the lookout for extra alternatives to benefit from the leisure and escape that opera affords. I’m blissful that we lastly took the leap this yr to turning into subscribers–and may’t wait to see Butterfly once more!
Will Liverman, baritone
The Ellie has been such a significant place for me. Pagliacci is certainly one of my favourite operas and attending to do it with Opera Colorado at The Ellie and being a part of such an incredible solid made the expertise much more particular. Add to that how a lot I’ve grown to like the town of Denver, and it’s been a time I’ll all the time worth.
What makes The Ellie so particular, although, is the those that work there. All the workforce treats everybody with actual care and respect, and you’re feeling that from day one. It’s a really particular firm and I really like the deep care that they’ve for the humanities. There’s a lot fantastic and wealthy historical past and it was an honor to make my debut in Pagliacci.
Carolyn Miller, Wardrobe Supervisor
When the Ellie Caulkins Opera Home opened its doorways with Carmen in Could of 2005, I used to be newly out of faculty and unsure of my future plans. On the time, I used to be the client for the costume store, so it was fairly sudden when the only best wardrobe alternative got here to me. To make use of a sports activities adage, I used to be fairly actually referred to as as much as the massive leagues—to decorate Denyce Graves within the function of Carmen. Cemented then and perpetually as one of many world’s preeminent performers of the function, it was to be my first ever job as a dresser.
Then Costume Supervisor, Ann Piano, took an opportunity on me; a dresser who didn’t and nonetheless doesn’t sew was a shocking selection for a rent, however Ms. Graves and I match collectively like a glove. I used to be keenly conscious of her superstardom at that second; phrase of her Carmen was frequent information at the moment and rightly so. Her efficiency was riveting—powerfully sung and brilliantly portrayed. I’ll all the time keep in mind watching her bend all the best way ahead whereas her fingers have been tied behind her to a chair and utilizing her enamel to tug her skirt as much as reveal her legs within the seduction of Zuniga. Nonetheless to at the present time stays probably the most sensible character selections I’ve ever seen.
Having cherished Carmen since learning it in highschool French, working the marathon that’s that present along with her was an educational and private dream come true. That singer, in that present, at that second in time was beautiful. At one level, mid-change in her dressing room, she stopped, rotated and hugged me. I might see myself within the mirror whereas it was taking place and thought “is that this actual life?” In some unspecified time in the future within the run, Ms. Graves’ then 18-month-old had touched the frosted glass close to the door to her mom’s dressing room, leaving a teeny tiny however distinctive handprint. For a lot of exhibits that adopted, that handprint remained because it was, solely seen when the solar from the Champa St. home windows hit the glass simply so. It was a small reminder of the massive moments that may occur at The Ellie. As a result of The Ellie is a spot the place the largest singer, in maybe her best function, in your favourite opera, will cease the world to be sure you get a thanks…earlier than she heads again onstage for her character to die, after all.
Emily Morgan & Patrick McKinney, Inside OC members
Whereas Emily has cherished opera for many years, Patrick needed to be persuaded. She already had tickets for Carmen after they met, and Patrick requested to hitch. So, their third date was at The Ellie, and the remaining was historical past! They stated “I do” within the Studio Loft and had a unbelievable reception within the Chambers Grant salon final August.
Sahar Nouri, Refrain Grasp
I cherished conducting the scholar matinee performances for a number of Opera Colorado productions: La fille du régiment, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, Carmen, Barbiere di Siviglia. Working with the Opera Colorado Orchestra is all the time an enormous pleasure, and I like our complete workforce on stage and backstage. Carmen was significantly memorable for me as my complete household and lots of expensive associates travelled to be there within the viewers and that was very particular.
Ari Pelto, Music Director & Conductor
A second I’ll always remember at The Ellie was the ultimate minutes of opening night time of Die tote Stadt. In these moments the fantastic tenor, Jon Burton (as Paul), sang the wonderful, poignant closing phrases of the opera whereas our orchestra performed superbly to a rapt viewers. It marked for the corporate a pinnacle of accomplishment. Producing a piece that has solely been tried by a small handful of American opera homes and succeeding in bringing that masterpiece to our stage… that can stick with me for the remainder of my life.
Oliver Poveda Zavala, bass-baritone, Artist in Residence 2024-25 & 2025-26
In Turandot (2023) when Kara Shay got here on stage as Princess Turandot, there was a second, a breath of silence that made all the corridor really feel prefer it stood nonetheless in time. The lights have been dim, and the jewel crown that Ms. Shay was sporting was reflecting the little mild that there was, like lengthy streaks of silver straight into the home making a wondrous impact. To that profit, when she began to sing her first few notes, it was so highly effective, it was a type of uncommon moments the place the air felt uncooked with awe and magic.
S, U.S. Navy Veteran
Thanks to Opera Colorado for caring about veterans and supporting us via Vet Tix. The wonder your organization of proficient folks brings to our neighborhood is inspiring. We cherished the opera each the solo and ensemble performances have been attractive. The set was sensible utilizing colours and lighting to deepen the expertise of every scene. Thanks for the chance to see La traviata. It was an exquisite night for all of us. I’m perpetually grateful in your kindness and assist.
Betsy Schwarm, Longtime Pre-Present Lecturer
Having introduced the good majority of Opera Colorado’s pre-performance talks since The Ellie opened, there are numerous reminiscences I might supply. Nevertheless, on the high of the checklist is our 2012 manufacturing of Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas. How pleasant to return to know an opera that was new to me, particularly one with such luscious music! Even the butterfly connection within the opera’s plot appeared important. Provided that our personal beloved Ellie Caulkins (the individual!) has a particular fascination for butterflies, that visible component within the manufacturing appeared excellent for the opera home, and certainly, for Ellie herself!
Chris Wineman, Key determine within the design and renovation of The Ellie
It’s a collection of moments. The mission started shortly after my daughter was born, and he or she accompanied me on excursions of the development when she was little. In 2014, she carried out onstage at The Ellie as a part of the Arts Colleges Community convention. And in 2018, she graduated from highschool at The Ellie. She and The Ellie have actually grown up collectively.
Zephyr, Age 8
I really like Household Day at The Ellie Caulkins Opera Home as a result of I can do crafts, hearken to the good music, and take photos with the performers. It’s enjoyable to be so near the performers on stage, and I like asking questions on the finish of the performances. I can’t wait to go to Household Day on the Opera once more!
