Hanyu Yuzuru "Gift"-wraps sold-out Tokyo Dome with performances for the ages
The two-time Olympic gold medallist delivers figure skating's first solo show before a sellout crowd as the Japanese superstar again has everyone talking - and guessing.
Figure Skating
Hanyu Yuzuru’s “Gift” was unwrapped. And it’s probably fair to say it was anything like what we expected. Anything.
The two-time Olympic champion carried out the first-ever solo figure skating performance at the Tokyo Dome on Sunday (26 February) and while abstract at times, full of imagery, it was a performance those who saw it won't forget.
Organisers announced a crowd of 35,000 at the Dome, plus another 30,000 viewing live at theatres nationwide across Japan and overseas, and many more watching online livestreams.
“There was a lot that was not easy about this,” Hanyu said following a show that ended up running for around three hours counting the encore.
“I wasn’t sure if I could last two-and-a-half hours at first but there were things about today that was only made possible because it was held at the Dome.
“Of course I do feel like I could have done some things better or differently. But I’m proud of this performance known as Gift.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I like to think I made the most of it. I hope people will remember this, even if its by bits and pieces.”
The curtain went up shortly after 17:00 JST but a sea of people were swarming the vicinity outside hours before.
Despite tickets going for around US$200 on average, the show completely sold out with the Dome absolutely packed on this night, as if it were a play-off game for Japanese baseball’s Yomiuri Giants who call the venue home.
For the first time since Hanyu retired from competition and turned to professional skating, fans were actually allowed - encouraged, rather - to openly cheer. Until recently, spectators at any form of entertainment event had been asked by the government to refrain from yelling or shouting as part of Covid countermeasures.
And cheer, Hanyu’s faithful did.
With elaborate lighting that could colour Tokyo Bay and props fitting of the cavernous arena, Gift was more a concert for a blockbuster artist than an ice show.
The giant screen installed was bigger than the one the Giants usually use. The rink laid out in the middle of the Dome was spread across 30x60 metres.
Live music was played by a full Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra as Hanyu skated to the tunes he hand-picked over his career like Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy”, “Seimei”, and “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso”, his choice for the short program in at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
It was to that music Hanyu failed to land his opening jump in China - a quadruple Salchow - the fall effectively ending his shot at a third Olympic medal.
Hanyu said performing Rondo Capriccioso was a demon he had to exorcise at some point as the 28-year-old continues down a path no figure skater has traveled.
“It’s a program I didn’t complete at the Beijing Olympics,” Hanyu said. “I sort of recreated the Beijing experience tonight because I couldn’t quite realise the dream I had there and I wanted to send the message that you can make your dreams come true though not necessarily as you initially imagined it.
“As an athlete, I found it really difficult to maintain your sense of balance here. But I just feel blessed to be able to go through the six-minute warm-up or all my programs in front of all these people.
“It’s not too often that one single person is on the end of all this energy like tonight. It usually doesn’t happen and I feel fortunate for the experience.”
His next show from 10-12 March will be his first professional ensemble titled “notte stellata”, a eulogy to all those affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake that devastated his hometown Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture, where the show will be held.
“Prologue” was Hanyu's first performances as a pro skater held in November and December.