Full Moon in the City explores the magic, mystery, and mischief of youthful late nights, taking anthropomorphic inspiration from its music of the same name described by composer Libby Larsen as “a stroll for bassoon and strings […] after hours, […] in the club district of an unnamed city.” More fablelike than true story ballet, it quite literally brings the Moon—and two Falling Stars—down to earth to interact with two human characters.

Musically, the movements are titled “…at 3am,” “Juking the Moon” (implied to take place at 4am), and “…5am,” with the ballet corresponding to that same timeline. The first section, “Catching Falling Stars,” imagines a man chasing the Stars to grant his wishes, with an emphasis on the old adage: be careful what you wish for. In “Howling at the Moon,” a woman, irritated with the trajectory of her night, finds delight in dancing with the Moon. Finally, in “Star-Crossed,” the celestial characters attempt to bring their respective earthbound partners together before retreating back to the night sky.