Denver’s opera house

Denverites are singing the praises of the new 2,278-seat Ellie Caulkins Opera House, where the season starts November 3 with Bizet’s Carmen. Designed by the city’s Semple Brown Design, this jewel boasts world-class amenities. Our favorites?

The amazing chandelier. A sculpted 500-pound glass flower whose folding petals dance above the audience.

Seat-back translation screens. No need to struggle to both follow the story and watch things unfold on stage.

Extra leg room. Enjoy plush seats with enough room to stay seated as fellow patrons pass by.

A pre- and post-theater dinner spot. Try the in-house Chambers Grant Salon, which contains a bar, restaurant, and jazz venue.

Really, truly, no bad seat in the house. No matter where you are, the layout offers unobstructed, stage-embracing views.

Ellie Caulkins Opera House (tickets from $25; 14th and Curtis Streets, Denver; www.operacolorado.org or 303/357-2787) ―Lori M. Midson