New Seats, New Possibilities at The Ellie
Big changes are coming to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House this summer!
Denver Arts & Venues, which owns and operates The Ellie, will replace the hall’s original 20-year-old seating with brand-new seats designed to improve comfort, reduce noise, and enhance the audience experience for years to come.
As part of this seat replacement, the current seatback titling system will also be retired, as it is no longer supported by the manufacturer. We know many patrons value these captions deeply, and we also know how important they are to connecting to the stories we tell on stage.
Opera Colorado and Denver Arts & Venues are exploring new captioning solutions designed to create a more reliable, accessible, and flexible experience throughout the entire opera house, and will be moving to a standard surtitling system used in opera houses across the world. Throughout the summer and fall, we’ll continue sharing updates, testing solutions, and gathering your feedback.
FAQ
The current seatback titling system is integrated into the seats and is no longer supported by the manufacturer. Because the system is highly specialized and uncommon, replacement parts, software support, and repair options are no longer available.
Absolutely! Captions are a top priority for Opera Colorado, and they will continue to be part of your opera experience. We are currently testing several options, including standard surtitling, enhanced above-stage titles, stage-side captioning, and more, used by other opera houses across the world.
Visibility throughout the hall is a major focus of our testing process! We are evaluating solutions from every seat to create the best possible experience for audiences throughout the theater.
Testing and evaluation will continue throughout the summer and fall leading into the 2026-27 Season. We will continue to refine captions throughout the season.
Yes! The current plan includes offering captions in English and Spanish. Additional accessibility and language options may continue to evolve as new systems are tested and refined.
Yes, we are happy to share that the orchestra section will have cupholders.
Share your feedback with us
As we test and refine new captioning solutions at The Ellie, your feedback will play an important role!
If you’d like to share your thoughts, please complete the brief form below.
Helpful feedback might include:
- Your experience using captions at The Ellie
- Seating areas where captions have been easier or more difficult to view
- Accessibility considerations that are important to you
- Questions or concerns you’d like us to consider
We truly appreciate your time, feedback, and partnership as we explore the possibilities!