The season opens in October with Don Quixote.
The Cleveland Ballet has announced its return to the stage with the 2021-2022 season. This season marks the return to Playhouse Square, and a return to live performances, since the beginning of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn more at https://clevelandballet.org/2021-2022-mainstage-at-playhouse-square/.
Check out the full lineup below!
October 15-16, 2021
At its core, 'Don Quixote' is a love story. It is a quest for one's perfect match - the one who is viewed as idyllic in every way. However, in its previous dance interpretations, the work has traditionally been presented in a way that depicts the primary character, Don Quixote, as being in a hallucinogenic state, and his adventures as being nothing more than the product of his dreams. In Don Quixote's search for his muse, he is faced with obstacles and hurdles that have been presented to the audience as outlandish and eccentric. His character is mocked and the audience jeers at his impractical expectations and challenges, attributing them to his wild imagination. It is Guadalupe's interpretation that Don Quixote's story is not nearly as unrealistic as it has been presented in the past. Rather, it is her view that we all have a little Don Quixote in us - dreams that once seemed wild and unattainable challenges that once seemed daunting or insurmountable. Ultimately, it is how we overcome these obstacles and work to attain our dreams that define the person we become.
December 3-5, 2021
After one year in hiatus, the holiday favorite ballet "The Nutcracker" returns to Playhouse Square's Connor Theatre. With only 5 performances this magical production of the Cleveland Ballet, promises to enchant and inspire all audiences.
A production suitable to audiences of all ages, this production is Cleveland's very own and is one to not be missed. The ballet in 2 acts is based on the original story of E.T.A. Hoffman with music composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The fascination of Tchaikovsky's score and the suitability of the theme for Christmas entertainment has inspired many choreographers including Cleveland Ballet's own Artistic Director Gladisa Guadalupe who has created a version with a twist!
May 6-7, 2022
Set to an invigorating timeless music score by Felix Mendelssohn, Gladisa Guadalupe's brand-new production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' lures the audience into a world of suspension, fairy-tale creatures, delightful costumes, and unlucky lovers. Based on William Shakespeare's comedy about a night with supernatural effects, fairies, romantic misadventures, and fantasy characters, the story evolves in a mysterious and magical place. The production travels from reality to imagination with a unique sense of harmony.
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