By Rena Vysnionis (with Steve Sucato)

Cleveland Ballet opens its 2023-2024 mainstage season at Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace, September 22-23, with the triple bill Carmen & Other Works. Here’s a look:

“Pas de Dix” from the 1898 ballet Raymonda features exquisite original choreography by Marius Petipa for five couples to the inspiring score by Alexander Glazunov. It is one of the most performed works by major ballet companies worldwide.

Casting: Gabriela Checo, Alexander Guzmán, Sydney Henson, Eunjun Jung, Anna Cole, Levian Mondville, Uma Deming, Lorenzo Pontiggia, Madison Campbell, and Narek Martirosyan.

Inspired by company Co-Founder and Artistic Director Gladisa Guadalupe’s longtime artistic collaboration and friendship with Steinway Artist Gerardo Teissonnière, the creation of Guadalupe’s “Nocturne” began with music composed by Frédéric Chopin and allowing the choreography to develop naturally on Cleveland Ballet’s dancers. With a spectacular Steinway grand piano placed center stage, the world premiere ballet will captivate audiences with stunning movement and complex partnering that shows fluidity and artistry combined with strength and athleticism.

Casting: Marla Aleyda, Diego Castillo, Katharine Cowan, Nashializ Gomez, Kaela Ku, Emmanuel Martirosyan, Bruno Palheta, and Emanuel Tavares.

Originally premiered in 2019, Guadalupe’s reimagined production of ballet and opera classic “Carmen” is a tale of passion, seduction, drama, love, and tragedy. Set to the music of Georges Bizet with live flamenco guitar, “Carmen” is the story of a captivating Spanish gypsy woman who seeks to better her position by seducing the handsome but naïve soldier Don José. She succeeds, and soon, Don José loses himself to Carmen’s passionate charms. He becomes consumed by his love for her. However, to Carmen, Don José is just a game to be played. Their torrid romance is volatile and tempestuous. Finally, when he catches Carmen flirting with a Spanish toreador, Don José is driven to do the unthinkable in a fit of jealous rage.

The tale leaves the audience reflecting on the characters’ unrealistic expectations of life and love, and the way their relationships lead to their fates.

The Cleveland Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Caleb Young, will perform Bizet’s iconic score live, featuring Concertmaster Alexandra Preucil, guitarist Daniel Rodríguez, and vocalists Zoya Gramagin and James Binion.

Principal Casting: Albina Ghazaryan (Carmen), Johan Mancebo (Don José), Madison Campbell (Manuela) and Narek Martirosyan (Toreador).

Cleveland Ballet performs Carmen & Other Works, 7 p.m., September 22 & 23, 2023 at Playhouse Square’s Connor Palace, 1615 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, Ohio. Tickets range from $28 – $131 and are available at playhousesquare.org/events or by calling (216) 320-9000 ext. 107.