Openings: 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?

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* 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)

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