open (something) with (someone or something)
To begin (something) with a specific person, topic, discussion, performance, etc. He opened the presentation with a terrible joke that put everyone on edge immediately. I was thinking we could open with ventriloquists and then follow them up with the magician. So the show will open with Rob, who will warm the audience up and then introduce all the different speakers.
open with someone or something
to begin a season, session, series, or performance with someone or something. The conference will open with a series of invited speakers. The performance opened with Donna, who played the flute.
open with
Begin with, as in The concert season opens with the Symphony performing Mahler's Ninth. This idiom uses open in the sense of "begin," a usage dating from the late 1600s.