Luna is the third and final part of Birmingham Royal Ballet director Carlos Acosta’s acclaimed homage to the city. Inspired by Louise Palfreyman’s book, Once Upon A Time In Birmingham: Women Who Dared To Dream, which tells of the lives of 30 inspirational women, the production features six short ballets by female choreographers from different countries, set to music by Kate Whitley.

Each ballet tells a different story, exploring universal themes such as the place of women in society, the value of education and the need to overcome adversity. Although Luna is grounded in Birmingham, we know that those who live in the city look on the same moon as people all around the world, and that we share common struggles and face similar issues.

The first ballet, or scene, is Terra, choreographed by Wubkje Kuindersma. As the children’s chorus sing “We are the sea”, we are reminded of the importance of being connected to and respecting nature, a theme which continues throughout the piece. Kuindersma also choreographed the title work, Luna, which is presented last. With her creations both starting and ending the evening, the six-part ballet as a whole echoes the cycle of the moon, completing a full circle to end where it began.

The fact that Luna’s half-dozen scenes are choreographed by five different people means that each element is individual, yet all are connected by a universal moon; though the moon changes form, waxes, wanes and even disappears behind the clouds, it is a constant presence.

The penultimate piece, Overexposed (choreographed by Iraxte Ansa), is particularly powerful and visually striking. Sinister, faceless figures control a vulnerable female figure (Beatrice Parma), exploring issues of female oppression. The final image of this scene, a jumble of limbs as the dancers join together, is surely one that will stay in the audience’s mind, though this is only one of very many striking images created in this piece.

Luna is a visual treat; the digital backdrop is constantly changing and serves to enhance the technical brilliance of the dancers. Accents on stage, such as books which light up as the girls in act one are inspired to “dream big”, or the children’s chorus carrying softly lit globes, reflect the changing emotions of the ballet as a whole. At times, singers (Marianna Hovhanisyan and Themba Mvula) appear on stage with the dancers, their haunting vocal performance adding yet another layer of emotion to the experience.

Birmingham Royal Ballet is firmly established as a world-class company, and Luna can only enhance its reputation. The production is creative, challenging and thought-provoking, and those who have a ticket to see it during its limited run in Birmingham can count themselves very lucky indeed.

Five stars

Luna was reviewed by Rachel Smith on Thursday 3 October at Birmingham Hippodrome, where it runs until Saturday 5 October.