FAQ

In compliance with Denver Arts & Venues and for your safety, all Opera Colorado performances include basic security screenings upon entry and re-entry to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Please arrive early to allow enough time to go through security and get to your seat comfortably.

To review the full policy and prohibited items implemented, please visit artscomplex.com.

• Use the Lost & Found Form to report lost items from any venue in the Arts Complex. Please use this form first before taking any other action.
•  Items found during an event are taken to the Arts Complex Communication Center (1345 Champa Street) and are held there for 2 weeks.
• You may also contact the Arts Complex Communication Center (720-865-4200) if you are having issues.  They will answer your questions and then direct you to complete the Lost & Found Form to track your lost item.

Please see our Accessibility page.

Visit each opera’s event page in the days leading up to a performance to read articles and interviews about the opera and its cast, see photos from rehearsal, watch behind-the-scenes videos and trailers, , and more. Also be sure to follow Opera Colorado on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube; bookmark our blog; and subscribe to our email newsletter for all the latest information!

Or, join us one hour prior to each performance at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House of a free and insightful pre-performance discussion led by opera historian Betsy Schwarm.

Opera is so powerful because it reflects universal themes—which means some operas contain mature subject matter, such as adultery, revenge, or death. Even operatic comedies can frequently have suggestive humor. We recommend reading the plot beforehand and using your own judgement as to whether it’s appropriate for your family. Also consider your child’s maturity level, and whether they’d be comfortable sitting quietly for long periods of time. All that being said, we do love introducing children to opera and welcome well-behaved kiddos. But please be aware that all children must have their own ticket (no lap sitting).

Opera fans love to show their appreciation for the artists on stage and in the orchestra pit, so if you’re unsure of when to applaud or cheer, just take your cues from your fellow patrons. Generally, however, the audience applauds when the conductor enters the orchestra pit just before the start of the performance; after a particularly moving or exciting aria (aka: a solo piece) or small ensemble piece (duets, quartets, etc.); and at the end of acts.

You might also hear shouts of “Brava,” “Bravo,” or “Bravi” (to compliment a woman, man, or group, respectively) after an exceptionally good performance, or during the bows after the performance. Feel free to join in!

Our mainstage operas are almost always sung in the piece’s original language—which could be anything from English to Italian to Czech. You can find language information on the opera’s event page, but you don’t need to stress about a language barrier, as every seat at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House has a personal subtitling system with translations available in both English and Spanish. Plus, we print a full synopsis in each program book. You’ll find that spoilers aren’t a big problem with opera; so many of these stories will be familiar to you already, and many people find that knowing the plot in advance helps them appreciate the performance even more.

Yes. Full service, on-site dining is available pre-show at Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House (click here for menu info and reservations). Light snacks and a full bar are also available pre-show and during intermissions on the Lobby and Loge levels. Please note, however, that only water and beverages in plastic cups (provided at the bar) are allowed inside the theater, so you’ll need to finish your food before taking your seat.

Pro tip: pre-order your drinks so you can skip the long lines during intermission. Just go to any bar at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House before the start of the performance, pay for your order in advance, and your drinks will be waiting for you as soon as you exit the theater for intermission.

Timing varies by opera, but is generally between two to three hours for mainstage performances, including at least one intermission. You can find run times and intermission detail on the opera’s event page, or call our Patron Services team at 303.468.2030. Timing will also be included in the pre-performance email we send ticketbuyers a day or two before the event (check your spam/junk folders!).

Convenient, on-site garage parking is usually available for an event rate of $10-15, although prices can vary. For parking details and advisories, click here.

Performances start on time, all the time—and Opera Colorado does not offer refunds or exchanges for late arrivals or missed performances. Latecomers will be seated at the earliest possible break in the performance; for some performances, this may not be until the first intermission. So arriving 45-60 minutes in advance of your performance is wise, to allot time for parking, picking up any tickets at Will Call, going through security at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, and finding your seat. The on-site Box Office and the venue’s doors both open 90 minutes before the start of the performance.

Nope! You’ll see a range of attire at any Opera Colorado performance—from cowboy boots to stiletto heels, and polo shirts to tuxedo jackets. Many of our patrons would say they like to dress “Colorado Fancy,” which often means a comfortable dress with a cardigan, or slacks with a button-up shirt. Then again, we have other patrons who view a night at the opera as the perfect excuse to wear their most fabulous outfit. If you’re looking for a particularly glam experience, we recommend Opening Night as the performance when the ball gowns and black-tie are most likely to come out. (But you wouldn’t be the only one in a nice pair of jeans, we promise.)

The Ellie Caulkins Opera House is owned and operated by the City and County of Denver, and not by Opera Colorado. You can only purchase Opera Colorado tickets at the Ellie on the day of an Opera Colorado performance, beginning 90 minutes prior to the performance start time.

The rest of the year, in-person purchases can be made only at the Opera Colorado Opera Center in Englewood, CO, from Monday–Friday, 10 am–5 pm. You can also purchase tickets by phone at 303.468.2030, or online at operacolorado.org.

Tickets are available for sale 24/7 at operacolorado.org. Only very rarely are legitimate Opera Colorado tickets available on a third-party website. More often than not, third-party sites claiming to sell tickets to Opera Colorado are reselling tickets at a significant price increase, with unnecessary fees. And, sometimes, the tickets are phonies and not actually valid for entry to a performance.

Please be extremely cautious when purchasing tickets from a third-party source, whether that’s a large-scale ticket broker or an individual seller on Craigslist, Facebook, etc. If in doubt, call Opera Colorado’s Patron Services team at 303.468.2030 to verify the legitimacy of a third-party website before you buy. Unfortunately, Opera Colorado cannot be held responsible for invalid, fraudulent, or overpriced tickets, nor can we offer refunds or replacements in such instances.

No. Opera Colorado only sells tickets to Opera Colorado events. Although we are a resident company of the Denver Performing Arts Complex, the DPAC and its venues (including the Ellie Caulkins Opera House) are owned and operated by the City and County of Denver. Many organizations make use of these beautiful venues, and tickets for events should be purchased from the presenting company:

• Opera Colorado: 303.468.2030 or operacolorado.org
• Colorado Ballet: 303.837.8888 or coloradoballet.org
• Colorado Symphony: 303.623.7876 or coloradosymphony.org
• Denver Center for the Performing Arts: 303.893.4100 or denvercenter.org
• Denver Arts & Venues: 888.929.7849 or axs.com

Please see our Ticket Policies page.

Please see our Ticket Policies page.

Please see our Ticket Policies page.

Please see our Seat Map page.

The City and County of Denver mandates a 10% facilities development admissions tax be added to the purchase price of each admission to any entertainment, amusement, or athletic event, or any other production or assembly that is staged, produced, convened, or held in or on any City-owned or leased property. This tax is commonly referred to as the “seat tax.”

Opera Colorado adds this required tax during the checkout process. You can view your total cost before paying when purchasing online; when purchasing tickets by phone or in person, our Patron Services representatives will always confirm your final cost with you prior to finalizing your order.

We routinely offer only these options for discounted tickets:

1) For subscribers, who automatically save 20% off single-ticket prices by purchasing a two-opera subscription, and receive 15% off additional tickets and select other Opera Colorado events
2) For groups of 10 or more people, who can receive 10-15% off tickets, depending on their performance date
3) For students, who can take advantage of $20 Student Rush tickets
4) For active-duty military, who can receive 15% off tickets (call 303.468.2030 to purchase)

To be the first to know about special promotions, please join Opera Colorado’s email list. However, please be aware that many of our tickets begin at just $35, and our most affordable seats can quickly sell out. Our best tip is to purchase early!

Not quite. These two acronyms are frequently—and incorrectly—used interchangeably, and often confused with Opera Colorado.

The Denver Performing Arts Complex (DPAC) is owned and operated by the City and County of Denver and the home of ten downtown performance spaces, including the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Opera Colorado is proud to be one of the four resident companies—along with the Colorado Ballet, Colorado Symphony, and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA)—who are tenants of DPAC venues. However, each resident company is its own independent arts organization, although we often perform in the same beautiful venues.

As of December 2017, our administrative offices and rehearsal studio are located under one roof at the new Opera Colorado Opera Center in Englewood, CO. This is also where you can find us, year-round, for in-person ticket sales. Please visit our Contact Us page for more information.

Our season runs fall through spring—roughly September through May—with summers off. Opera Colorado’s mainstage season includes three large-scale, fully staged productions in the 2,200-seat Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Finally, we round out each season with several intimate recitals, artist meet-and-greet events, panel discussions, educational offerings, and more. Please visit our Calendar for a full lineup of upcoming events.

Visit our Jobs & Auditions page for any available job listings or audition opportunities.

We’re also always looking for great volunteers! Learn more here.

Yes. We are a 501(c)(3) organization. Our tax ID number is 84-0850527.