EXHIBIT 5.1
                    OPINION OF WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS
                    A PROFESSIONAL LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY


                   [WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS LETTERHEAD]


                                December 1, 2003


Capstone Turbine Corporation
21211 Nordhoff Street
Chatsworth, CA 91311

           Re:  Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        We are acting as counsel to Capstone Turbine Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") of an aggregate of 2,195,000 shares of the
Company's Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Shares"), pursuant to a
Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement").

        We have examined and relied upon such records, documents and other
instruments as in our judgment are necessary and appropriate in order to express
the opinion hereinafter set forth, and have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and
the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as
certified or photostatic copies.

        Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when
issued and delivered in the manner and on the terms described in the
Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

        We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and further consent to the reference to us under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus included in the Registration
Statement. This consent is not to be construed as an admission that we are a
party whose consent is required to be filed with the Registration Statement
under the provisions of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission
promulgated thereunder.


                                    Very truly yours,

                                    /s/ Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, PLLC