As well as being genius marketing — three short abstract ballets sold as a single full-length production — George Balanchine’s Jewels offers an unparalleled opportunity to appreciate the charms of a host of ballerinas. From the romantic mystique of Emeralds, through the brazen modernity of Rubies and the grand authority of Diamonds, every facet of the female dancer is showcased. Which is why Jewels, created for New York City Ballet in 1967, is such a good fit for the Royal Ballet.

The opening night of this current run gave us a bumper crop of ballerinas, starting with Tamara Rojo and Leanne Benjamin. They led Emeralds, Balanchine’s evocation of the early days of 19th-century ballet, an era suffused with soft femininity and French elegance. Rojo’s creamy and graceful technique was richly evocative of the period, though her presence at times tended towards the remote. Benjamin’s more alert dancing combined joy with a sense of propriety.

Rubies, with its 20th-century New York energy and playful flirtatiousness, was sparked by Alexandra Ansanelli’s dazzling performance at the head of a vivid ensemble that owes as much to Broadway chorus lines as traditional ballet. Ansanelli has a fearlessness that is perfect for Balanchine, and the ability to decorate each phrase with a distinctive signature. Those are qualities that will be much missed when she leaves Covent Garden at the end of this season.

Alina Cojocaru took the honours in Diamonds with such radiance that it was hard to believe she had only recently returned from a longstanding injury. The Imperial formality of Diamonds — it’s Balanchine’s tribute to Sleeping Beauty and all that represents — is something she understands well, but beyond her classical intelligence is the gorgeous integrity of every aspect of her regal dancing.

The men take a back seat to the women throughout, but that didn’t stop Carlos Acosta bringing a masculine swagger to Rubies and Rupert Pennefather offering a supremely handsome princeliness in Diamonds. Indeed, in the latter, it’s clear that Pennefather is forging a truly impressive partnership with Cojocaru.

Praise, too, for the superb conducting of Valeriy Ovsyanikov: Fauré in Emeralds, Stravinsky in Rubies and Tchaikovsky in Diamonds. In the latter, especially, Ovsyanikov brought an uncanny richness to the music. But how disappointing are Jean-Marc Puissant’s backdrops, all three insipid to the point of drab.

Box office: 020-7304 4000, to June 19

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