Opera Colorado planning exciting celebration concert
Opera Colorado is celebrating the 20th anniversary of calling the Ellie Caulkins Opera House home. The organization is pairing its annual fundraising gala with a special one-night concert. It will be a full night of entertainment and fun.
"About 20 years ago, we commissioned a piece just for the opening, and we're actually going to have a special singer do that piece. It's a one-act comic opera. We don't often think of comedy in opera, but it's going to be there. We're going to have a great celebration and a gala," said Barbara Lynne Jamison, CEO of Opera Colorado.
The 2026 Opera Colorado Grand Gala kicks off the evening at the Seawell Ballroom at the DCPA. There will be cocktails, dinner and arias performed by the 2025-26 Artists in Residence. There will also be a live auction. The Grand Gala raises vital funds that pay for Opera Colorado's productions, education programs, and commitment to making opera accessible.
The celebration continues at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House with the concert featuring award-winning baritone Will Liverman and pianist Elizabeth G. Hill. Liverman was once described by NPR as "a new, exciting voice in the opera world" and has performed several roles at the famed Metropolitan Opera.
"He's a beautiful baritone, a powerful storyteller, and he's going to be there to sing some opera favorites as well as spirituals and some songs he wrote himself even," Jamison added.
Opera Colorado is keeping the party going with an after-party including an open bar, bites, and continued live entertainment.
The Ellie originally opened as the Municipal Auditorium in 1908 and hosted the Democratic National Convention. The building was a multi-purpose space that accommodated concerts, operas, theatrical shows, conventions, basketball games, auto shows, and circuses. In 1955, the Auditorium was renovated into a modern theater. In 2002, the Auditorium underwent another renovation to create the current Ellie Caulkins Opera House. It's named after Eleanor Caulkins who was a patron of the arts and was known as the First Lady of Opera in Denver. In 2005, the Ellie opened as the new home of Opera Colorado and the Colorado Ballet. The venue is best known for its acoustics, four-level design, and seatback titling.
"It was built for opera. It helps you see the opera. Sometimes we think of opera as being so far away and not being able to see faces. Everyone has a great seat at the opera house here, and the acoustics are so wonderful. You can hear the voices. We don't use amplification so the building...it's just made to make those voices sound beautiful," Jamison said.
LINK: For Tickets & Information about the 20th Anniversary Celebration Concert
The 2026 Opera Colorado Grand Gala and 20th Anniversary Celebration Concert are Friday, February 27, 2026 at the DCPA.
"We always offer 'pay what you wish' tickets to every performance that we have. So if you can't do the $29 or above, you can start at one dollar. We want everyone to be there," Jamison added.
