Best Bets: ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ returns, and Grayslake cellist Drew Wiegman joins LeAnn Rimes in concert
‘Greatest Show on Earth’
A reimagined tour of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus features the return of Bello Nock, the celebrated clown who also performs daredevil stunts. Marvel at superskilled performers from around the world at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. $30.15-$109.80. Free parking. 847-635-6601 or rosemont.com/allstate. Seven performances only at 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6; 10:30 a.m., 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7; and 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8
Jazzy Dancing
• Giordano Dance Chicago, America’s oldest jazz dance company, performs “Untamed Passion” with the world premiere of “Caravan” by choreographer Al Blackstone, plus his reworking of the repertory piece “Dumb Luck!” There are also returning works such as Lindsey Leduc’s “Gravity,” Jon Rua’s “namuH,” Autumn Eckman’s “commonthread,” and excerpts from “Sabroso” by Del Dominguez and Laura Flores. See them at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. $35-$70. 847-673-6300 or giordanodance.org or northshorecenter.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7
• Ballets Jazz Montréal tours “Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen” to The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. Personally approved by Leonard Cohen during his lifetime, this dance piece by Louis Robitaille and Eric Jean honors the famed Canadian poet-singer-songwriter. $51.47-$86.42. 312-341-2300 or auditoriumtheatre.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7
Classically Czech
Violin soloist Isabella Lippi joins the Elgin Symphony Orchestra for Czech composer Dvořák’s “Romance for Violin & Orchestra.” This weekend’s concerts, conducted by Chad Goodman, also feature Mozart’s Symphony No. 38 (informally known as the “Prague Symphony”) and other works by French composer Saint-Saëns and living American composer Jonathan Leshnoff at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. $20-$68; $10 students; select free tickets for kids 17 and younger. 847-888-4000 or elginsymphony.org. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8
Generational sparring
Comedians from different generations go at it in competition for the “Stand Up Throw Down: Millennials vs. Gen X” hosted by Todd Glover at the Woodstock Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., Woodstock. $35. 815-338-4300 or woodstockoperahouse.com. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6
‘Blue’ for you
Lake County cellist Drew Wiegman joins LeAnn Rimes as a guest soloist on her “30 Years of ‘Blue’ Tour” at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Hear hits such as “How Do I Live,” “I Need You,” “Can’t Fight the Moonlight” and more. $79.05-$97.20. 847-263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com. 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6
Gemstones to jewelry
A new exhibit titled “The Art of Transformation: The Jewelry of Mark Schneider” opens this weekend with a special appearance by the artist, plus a documentary film screening of “Sharing the Rough” at the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, 1220 Kensington Road, Oak Brook. $10; $8 seniors; $5 students 7 and older; free admission on Wednesday. 630-833-1616 or lizzadromuseum.org. Artist reception at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7; film screening at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8; exhibit runs through April 4, 2027. Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Medieval mischief
Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” is drawn from often bawdy medieval texts, and its famous opening and closing have been repeatedly used for movie trailers. See the Elgin Master Chorale and Elgin Youth Symphony team up to perform this massive 1930s choral and orchestral cantata at Elgin Community College’s Blizzard Theatre, Building H, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $38. 847-622-0300 or eccartscenter.org. 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 (pre-concert lecture at 2:30 p.m.)
World War II Troop Salute
Flashback to the 1940s with “Thanks for the Memories: A USO Tribute.” Featuring music popularized by The Andrews Sisters, Judy Garland, Bob Hope and more, this special Veterans Day concert is Wednesday at Elgin Community College’s Blizzard Theatre, Building H, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $35. 847-622-0300 or eccartscenter.org. 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11
Deceptive lovers
Donizetti’s 1843 comedy “Don Pasquale” returns to the repertory of the Lyric Opera of Chicago starting Thursday at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. The cast includes Chinese soprano Ying Fang and American bass-baritone Ian Rucker, plus the Lyric debuts of Mexican tenor Alberto Robert and Georgian baritone Misha Kiria in the title role of an elderly man who gets tricked into marrying a much younger woman. Lyric music director Enrique Mazzola conducts. Sung in Italian with projected English translations. $42-$411. 312-827-5600 or lyricopera.org. Six performances only at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, Tuesday, Nov. 24 and Friday, Nov. 27; 2 p.m. Sunday and Wednesday, Nov. 15 and 18; and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21