A ‘Balanchine company’ comes bearing gems

The great 20th century ballet choreographer George Balanchine knew how to build a crowd-pleaser without sacrificing depth and sophistication.

“Jewels,” from 1967, features three acts: “Emeralds,” “Rubies” and “Diamonds.” Each is dazzling on the surface, but Balanchine’s brilliance was to explore contrasting aspects of our humanity. “Emeralds,” to dreamy Fauré, is suffused with an awareness of mortality. “Rubies,” to Stravinsky, is jazzy and mischievous.

Miami City Ballet has been known since its 1985 founding as a “Balanchine company,” and the reputation has stayed strong under current artistic director Lourdes Lopez, a former New York City Ballet star. At long last, the troupe of bold and musical dancers returns to Cal Performances in this masterpiece.

Miami City Ballet: 8 p.m. FridaySaturday, Sept. 23-24; 3 p.m. Sept. 25. $37-$148. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley. 510-642-9988. https://calperformances.org

Miami City Ballet