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As this is the final year of Dame Monica Mason's directorship of the Royal Ballet, each work presented has been handpicked by her to celebrate the past and present of British ballet, promising us an "absolute blast" in the process. And so far, this has been the case: the excitement over the latest triple bill has been significant - at least for the chance to see Liam Scarlett's Asphodel Meadows again.

The middle piece of the triple bill, Frederick Ashton's Enigma Variations, opened with a sad note during the matinée performance: Dame Monica Mason appeared on stage to dedicate the performance to the memory of their senior props person, David Allen (?) who had died suddenly two days previously.

Enigma Variations, performed to Elgar's music, reminds us of the changing perceptions of beauty, trying to preserve treasured memories of quintessential Edwardian life to the point that it's almost a surprise not to see an image of Downton Abbey in the background. The characters, representing Elgar's friends, clearly belong to a long-ago era, reinforced by the description of each character in the programme notes, for example "Her gracious personality is sedately shown" for the character of Winifred Norbury.

Enigma Variations is a work for a cast of 14; Elgar's wife and 12 of his friends each portray their characters with a solo, occasionally a duet or a group dance, and sometimes accompanied by Elgar, sometimes simply watched by him. And so the piece is enjoyable for the individual characters performed: Nehemiah Kish is for once perfectly-cast as a pensive scholar, partnered by the "charming and romantic" Lara Turk; Roberta Marquez brought a refreshing capriciousness to her role as a young girl, and José Martín was very memorable as a hyperactive pet dog, even down to his occasional little doggy movements. But nothing could match the sheer intensity and virtuosity of Edward Watson's performance as Troyte: all other characters paled in comparison beside him.

Enigma Variations is an odd work to revive, and we can only assume that this was done at Dame Monica Mason's insistence for her final year. The cameo roles are entertaining, but after the excitement of Asphodel Meadows, it falls rather flat, with largely unremarkable choreography.

Gloria, Kenneth MacMillan's piece about the horrors of war, concluded the programme, led by two soldiers and a woman in white, possibly interpreted as Death, Grace, an angel and/or "that which they are fighting for". Judging by their makeup, they are accompanied by an ensemble of ghostly soldiers, some of whom are sitting or lying down in the battlegrounds to the rear of the stage.

Gloria lacks the powerful impact of MacMillan's Requiem, but is beautifully performed, with many poignant images, especially in the complex relationships between the three lead characters, performed by Thiago Soares, Carlos Acosta and Sarah Lamb in the first cast, and by Nehemiah Kish, Edward Watson and Leanne Benjamin in the matinée. We can easily see Acosta / Watson as the tortured soldier, still traumatised by war, while Soares / Kish is a paternal or authority figure.

Gloria was beautifully accompanied by soprano Madeleine Pierard (Anna Devin in the alternate cast): one of the most haunting images of the work is when all of the dancers are standing still on the stage, heads cocked as they listen to her soaring voice.  

As for Asphodel Meadows, no praise is sufficient. Choreographed by Liam Scarlett last year at just 24 years of age, it is hard to believe that this is only his first major work for the Royal Ballet, such is the maturity, skill and sophistication shown.

Performed by three couples and 14 ensemble dancers, Asphodel Meadows brilliantly showcases the younger talent in the Royal Ballet by placing many of them in such prominent roles, going so far as to place the highly impressive Leanne Cope in the same role as Tamara Rojo - and it is worth seeing the second cast of Asphodel Meadows if only for the sensational duet between her and José Martín. Performed by Tamara Rojo and Bennet Gartside in the first cast, this duet is the heart of the work, accompanied by an emotional duet between Marianela Nuñez and Rupert Pennefather.

Scarlett's choreography is astounding, manipulating the ballet language far beyond its comfort zone, yet always creating thought-provoking beautiful movements, hinting at the richness that awaits ballet in the future. Wayne McGregor's work for the Royal Ballet doesn't even come close to the masterpiece that is Asphodel Meadows - and it's clear that it's Scarlett who should be leading the Royal Ballet into the future, not McGregor.