Hanyu Yuzuru's first professional ice show - Prologue - to open this weekend
On Friday in Yokohama, the two-time Olympic figure skating champion will begin writing a new chapter to his illustrious career with a self-produced, solo performance.
Figure Skating
“Prologue” is ready for its unveiling.
The curtains will go up on Hanyu Yuzuru's first professional ice show on Friday (4 November) but as it typically is with the two-time Olympic champion, he has everyone guessing.
“For my first time, I will be performing a one-man ice show,” Hanyu said in a brief promotional tweet ahead of the event at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama.
“I hope to make it a show where people will be able to get a feel for what my skating career has been like.”
It’s been more than three months since Hanyu announced he would step away from competitive figure skating after missing the podium at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games.
On the final day of September as he took to social media for the first time, the 27-year-old said he would self-produce a show starring only himself in the first skate of a new phase to his career.
He is overseeing the event in its entirety, from the title and logo to the music and costume.
Three weeks ago, Hanyu released a YouTube clip of his practising the solo performance in his hometown Sendai but it is not entirely clear how the show will unfold.
Hanyu has largely kept things under wraps. He has a tendency to not show his hand until the very last minute.
The show is expected to be around two hours long, held in Yokohama this weekend and in Aomori for three days next month.
Hanyu is scheduled to speak to the media after the show on Friday, when the world will be all ears.
Stay tuned.