"So for me to go home... it's like a son or daughter who has left home and is now bringing their own children back. It will be that kind of feeling.”

Before China, however, Melbourne will enjoy its first glimpse of the Queensland Ballet since Cunxin took the helm. It will also be the first chance to catch the work of one of ballet's hottest properties right now: British Choreographer Liam Scarlett is an artistic associate with the company and an artist-in-residence at The Royal Ballet in London, where his recent Swan Lake was critically acclaimed.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a co-production between Queensland Ballet and the Royal New Zealand Ballet in Wellington, where it premiered in 2015. They are the only two companies in the world to have his version of the ballet.

“It's one of the best Midsummer Night's Dreams on the planet,” says Cunxin. “It's not an easy story to translate into ballet ... to portray that story in such a humorous and magical way with no words is such an art.”

Cunxin describes Scarlett as a classicist. “Growing up in London he trained at the Royal Ballet School and grew up with that fabulous traditional influence. But London is also such a melting pot of different influences - they're really at the forefront of contemporary choreographers breaking new ground, making new discoveries in different styles and genres. So he's been influenced by all of that.

"I think he actually has his own dance language, but it's very much based on that classical technique.”

Soloist Mia Heathcote will dance the role of Titania in tour. She agrees with Cunxin about Scarlett's rare storytelling talent.

“Whichever narrative he's trying to tell, it's always so clear," she says. "He really emphasises that acting part of the ballet and those small nuances that make something quite profound. He has a lot of moments in his ballets where there's almost nothing going on but there's this look, or a subtle gesture, that explains everything. I think that's really special about his work.”

In a production not short on firsts or homecomings, the Melbourne leg also marks the first time she has performed professionally in her hometown. Heathcote, the daughter of former Australian Ballet principal Steven Heathcote, joined Queensland Ballet in 2014.

Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is a famously busy play, leaping between three storylines and occasionally allowing them to overlap. It's also both a comedy and a romance. Heathcote says the production requires someone of Scarlett's ability with narrative to juggle all of those balls at once, but that's also why she thinks it's the perfect work to tour Melbourne and China.

“It's not like a long, dragged out, three-act ballet," she says. "It's not a tutu ballet, or something that doesn't have a narrative. It's a really identifiable story.”

Cunxin says that Chinese audiences are as ready as he is for this show. “They're very well aware of Shakespeare's work there, and also the Chinese people love humorous ballets.”

He hopes it won't be so long between visits next time. “My vision for Queensland Ballet is to become a global standard ballet company and this is one of the natural steps we need to take.”

Queensland Ballet performs A Midsummer Night's Dream at Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, October 3 to 7. queenslandballet.com.au