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Dear FanFaire Readers:
The historic shell of the Quigg Newton Denver Municipal Auditorium
still stands, but the old Auditorium Theatre inside the building has
been demolished. In its place, the world-class 2,268-seat Ellie Caulkins
Opera House, colloquially known as “The Ellie,” has come
to life inside the 1908 structure and is anticipated to be one of
the finest facilities of its kind worldwide.
 This
lyric jewel completes the Denver Performing Arts Complex (DPAC) by
providing a first-class, natural acoustical home for opera, ballet,
and choral music. Designed to attract the world’s top artists,
the Ellie Caulkins Opera House will influence the arts in Denver for
many generations.
Placed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Denver
Landmarks List in 1992, the Newton Auditorium serves as the front-door
to DPAC, which is the largest arts complex under one roof in the world,
featuring ten performance spaces connected by an 80-foot tall glass
roof. The creation of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House as a destination
attraction at DPAC continues to raise the level of excellence in Denver’s
performing arts community.
Opera Colorado produced the first event held in the Ellie Caulkins
Opera House, a Gala honoring Denver's First Lady of Opera, Ellie Caulkins.
Ellie’s dedication to the art form is shared by her colleagues
at Opera Colorado. Together they have created one of the most successful
and critically acclaimed regional opera companies in the United States.
The Ellie Caulkins Opera House exists
because of individuals too numerous to name. We applaud the members
of Denver’s performing arts community who championed the creation
of a new venue for opera and ballet; the visionary civic leaders who
devised and implemented the plan for a new opera house; the people
of Denver for providing public financing for the project; the brilliant
architects and acousticians who made the marvelous design; and the
work of the dedicated contractors and construction workers who made
the vision a reality. We also thank the many private donors whose
gifts have made possible this incredible new venue that will truly
put Denver on the world’s stage.
The arts are an integral part of Denver’s
economic and cultural vitality. We hope you will visit the beautiful
Ellie Caulkins Opera House to enjoy a performance and experience the
magic of this incredible venue in the Mile High City.
Sincerely,
John W. Hickenlooper
Mayor, City and County of Denver
[Photo courtesy of Dept. of Theatres
and Arenas, City of Denver]
SCENES
FROM THE RIBBON-CUTTING CEREMONY
Quigg Newton Auditorium / Ellie
Caulkins Opera House
Denver: September 11, 2024 |
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Photos
© 2005FanFaire
(except for ribbon-cutting photo of the Mayor with Mrs. Newton |
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