“A program that incorporates the renowned music celebrating “the certainty of victory” Yuma Kagiyama will skate to “Turandot” with hope to recreate Arakawa’s golden moment
Yuma Kagiyama chooses “Turandot” for his free skate in Milano-Cortina Olympics
original source: Nikkansports dd. June 28th 2025 Daisuke Fujitsuka
Yuma Kagiyama (22), a silver medalist in both the individual and team events at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, has set his sights on achieving gold with a legendary program. Here’s a translation of an article posted on Nikkansports.
For the 2025–26 Milano-Cortina Olympic season, Kagiyama has selected “Turandot” as the music for his free skate – an iconic opera famously performed during Shizuka Arakawa’s historic gold medal win at the 2006 Turin Olympics. On February 14, 2026, Kagiyama hopes to recreate that golden moment with a reimagined arrangement of the opera to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Here’s a translation of his comments.
“Turandot,” a masterpiece of Italian opera, is etched in Japanese figure skating history as the music that accompanied Shizuka Arakawa’s groundbreaking win 20 years ago at the Turin Olympics – the first gold medal by a Japanese figure skater. Inspired by her milestone, Kagiyama expressed his intention to channel “the challenge toward gold” and “the power to overcome obstacles” through his performance.
Alongside renowned choreographer Lori Nichol, Kagiyama carefully selected “Turandot” to pay “respect and homage to Italian audiences.” Nichol describes it as a program that incorporates the renowned music celebrating “the certainty of victory,” with notes of Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” set to resonate deeply. Additionally, Kagiyama’s iconic skating style will include the famous Ina Bauer, a signature move from Arakawa’s gold-winning program.
Turandot celebrates 100 years since its premiere in Milan in April 1926, aligning perfectly with the Olympic season. While the opera remains a favorite among skaters, Kagiyama’s team aims to “bring new life to it.” Nichol envisioned the skating program based on a refreshed finale first staged at the Washington National Opera in May 2024.
For Kagiyama’s performance, Grammy-winning composer Christopher Tin was commissioned to craft a special 4-minute arrangement of “Turandot.” The recording took place at London’s world-famous Abbey Road Studios, featuring a luxurious collaboration between the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the English National Opera Chorus. Tin added a dynamic new closing chapter to “Nessun Dorma” and shared that: “The choreography by Nichol, combined with Yuma’s remarkable athleticism and artistry, has breathed thrilling life onto the ice.”
Related topics: Yuma Kagiyama
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