How a nightcap led to Art on Ice's 30-year success story
Art on Ice 1996: from left to right Reto Caviezel, Denise Biellmann, Oliver Höner, Simon Estes
An overwhelmed policeman, too few parking spaces and traffic chaos in front of the ice rink in Küsnacht ZH: the huge traffic jam was due to the “World Class Figure Skating” gala organised by media professional Reto Caviezel and Oliver Höner, the eleven-times Swiss figure skating champion, aged 26 and 29 at the time on 11 January 1995. A few months later, over a nightcap in a bar in Zürich Niederdorf, the brilliant idea was born to combine figure skating and live music in one show. Something that had never been done before anywhere in the world. What began as a simple idea ended one year after the gala in Küsnacht with the premiere of Art on Ice in the Hallenstadion Zurich. It was a show that presented an unrivalled, highly emotive interplay of sporting excellence and live musical performances. 6,500 people came to see Swiss champion Oliver Höner and world champion Denise Biellmann perform live together with the guest star, musician Simon Estes.
Thirty years later, five shows are planned for Art on Ice 2026 in Zurich, two in Fribourg and two in Davos, with over 75,000 visitors expected. During this time, Art on Ice has experienced many highs and lows: from sold-out venues to overcoming challenges such as financial crises, pandemics and cancellation by a star musician.
Reto Caviezel and Oliver Höner are still working hard today to guarantee the audience an unforgettable experience. In this interview, Oliver Höner looks back on the 30-year success story.
An interview with Oliver Höner
Oliver, the 30th edition of Art on Ice will take place in February 2026. An anniversary that needs to be celebrated. What motivated you to found Art on Ice 30 years ago and to start the trial in Küsnacht?
Thirty years ago, a show was held in Küsnacht that could be described as a trial, even though I wasn’t even thinking about Art on Ice at the time. At that time I was frequently travelling abroad, with tours in Scandinavia, Germany and America. That inspired me in the sense of “I can do what they can do.” International stars should have the opportunity to come to Switzerland and put on a great show with me. This is how “world-class figure skating” came about. In Küsnacht, I was able to call on my colleagues at the time, who fortunately were also European and world champions. That was the beginning of this whole story. It was simple and rudimentary, but the success back then proved us right.
The ice rink in Küsnacht was sold out, and there were turbulent scenes as the seats were not numbered. Not all of the audience was able to see the show properly as the sightlines had not been taken into account. It was a process of learning by doing. It was therefore clear that we needed a better auditorium for the next show, one that was heated and offered more comfort than the ice rink in Küsnacht. The Hallenstadion was ideal, but the leap from Küsnacht to Switzerland’s largest event hall was enormous for us. This gave me the idea of combining the entire show with live music in order to reach a larger audience than just skating fans. We tried something that had never been done before anywhere in the world. There had already been shows similar to the one in Küsnacht, but Art on Ice was the start of something completely new: a show in which not only figure skating took centre stage, but above all the entertainment, the combination of music, sport and dance. I think that was crucial in gaining a foothold quickly and celebrating a lot of success.
Art on Ice 2000: Vanessa Mae
«Art on Ice was the start of something completely new, in which the focus is not on figure skating alone, but above all on the show, the entertainment, the combination of music, sport and dance.»
Which show or special moments are you particularly proud of? Why?
I am personally very proud of every show. My team and I have always done our utmost to get the best out of every show, every concept and every musical set-up.
There have been special moments that I am particularly proud of. One example of this is when Roger Hodgson appeared in my show with his former band, Supertramp. I worked for months to convince both sides, and finally they performed together again on the Art on Ice stage. However, it was only a one-off performance, as they did not get back together afterwards and the band went their separate ways. My hope was that Supertramp would go on tour as a complete band again. So Art on Ice remains an exception. These moments are really special. There are certainly other examples, but for me this is one of the magical moments and is unique.
What were the biggest challenges you have faced over these years? How did you overcome them?
Constantly developing the product and keeping it exciting for over 30 years is probably the biggest challenge. Normally, a product reaches its expiry date after 20–25 years and can then no longer be pursued. From this point of view, we are very proud that we already have 30 years under our belt.
In addition to product development, the challenge is to keep finding a new audience, an audience that discovers Art on Ice for the first time and overcomes the barrier of thinking “I’m not interested in figure skating.” This corresponds to around 95% of our audience, which we have to reach first in order to show that not only figure skating but also music, dance, acrobatics and light are the central elements of our show. Figure skating is a very emotional and at the same time exciting component, and the combination with live music is extremely appealing to the audience, even if they have no previous knowledge of figure skating.
Another challenge is to show people that although figure skating is an old sport, it is by no means outdated. This sport is also evolving, which we demonstrate impressively at Art on Ice. We now have a very well-known name and are one of the most recognisable Swiss brands. To achieve this, however, we had to invest a lot of work so that we can now fill the Hallenstadion five or six times. That’s something that no other show can do in this form.
We are grateful for our large fan base, but we regularly attract new audiences, because after 30 years the same people who were there for the first show are no longer there.
Oliver Höner, Founder of Art on Ice
Oliver Höner is one of the two founders, CEO and producer of Art on Ice.
Between 1979 and 1991, he won eleven Swiss figure skating championships.This passion and expertise laid the foundation for Art on Ice. As a show producer for 30 years, he still brings together the idea, the music and the performances on the ice to create an unforgettable Art on Ice show.
How has figure skating developed in Switzerland over the years? How does this development affect Art on Ice?
I think it’s important for figure skating to have a certain status in a country. Even though figure skating is not as exotic here as in other countries, it does not have the status of a major sport, as it does in Japan, America, Canada or Russia, for example. The sport receives greater attention here when Swiss athletes are successful. This was particularly important for us at the start of Art on Ice: we had Denise Biellmann, Stéphane Lambiel and Sarah Meier.
Now we are looking to the future and promoting a new generation, with talents such as Lukas Britschgi and Kimmy Repond. It is important that we support these young talents so that one day they will be among the world’s best figure skaters.
We have also introduced international figure skating stars such as Evgeni Plushenko, whose name is still etched in people’s minds, as he was a true superstar. We need such celebrities, both international and Swiss, to feature in the show; it is important to have not only people who are well known on stage, but also strong representatives of figure skating.
How has Art on Ice developed over the years? What changes are particularly important to you?
Art on Ice has definitely evolved. The difference between the first and last show is immense. They hardly have anything in common, except for two essential components – live music and figure skating. This combination has remained, while everything else has changed. The approach to live music has changed, with new arrangements and a variety of artists from pop, rock and classical music.
It is particularly important that we have introduced additional levels. Instead of just one skater or a couple on the ice, we present several skaters performing harmonious routines together, complemented by dancers on stage and acrobats, both with and without skates. These different levels and layers have significantly enriched the entertainment package, so that we have moved from a one-to-one performance to a comprehensive entertainment package and show experience.
How important is feedback from our audience? And to what extent does the audience influence your planning for future shows?
We take audience feedback very seriously and analyse it carefully. We often receive direct feedback from loyal visitors, which is more valuable to us than complaints from a few who are bothered by details. It is important not to make changes on the basis of these individual opinions, but to focus on further developing the show and making it attractive.
We have to keep up with the times to develop the show. Of course, you don’t always make friends. We listen to the audience, but we also know in which direction we need to move. The audience often only realises later that our decisions have smoothed the right way. As an example, when we introduced the different layers to the show back then, there was criticism that Art on Ice was no longer just figure skating with music in its simple form. But these voices have now evaporated because it is important to move beyond the one-to-one. We appreciate the feedback, but make sure that it doesn’t influence us too much. I think we also sense the direction in which we need to develop the show in the coming years.
Art on Ice 2002: Gotthard Lead Singer Steve Lee †
What does Art on Ice mean to you personally? How has it affected your life?
As the founder, Art on Ice means an incredible amount to me. It is an essential part of my life, not only because of its importance, but also because of the many hours I invest in Art on Ice every day.
Art on Ice is also the first show I developed and will always be my personal favourite. It will stay with me until the end of my career. If I hadn’t started it back then, my life would probably have been very different. I’m grateful that I was able to develop a show that struck a chord at the time and was to the audience’s taste. If I had started three years earlier or later, it might not have been successful. I stood my ground at the right time, despite many people saying that I needed more time than just two months to put on the show in Küsnacht, or that the Hallenstadion was too big and that the idea wouldn’t work. There have been numerous challenges, but I stuck to my vision despite the negative voices. This determination ultimately paved my way into the Hallenstadion. So it was very important to keep at it and get the product up and running in a short space of time.
If you look back over the last 30 years, is there anything you would have done differently?
It’s difficult to say exactly. In many cases, I wonder whether alternative decisions would really have changed the end result. Of course we have made mistakes from time to time, but I can’t think of anything at the moment that has had a decisive influence on Art on Ice’s development. I don’t really regret anything and would do many things exactly the same. It is important to remain courageous and occasionally take risks instead of just following the mainstream. Many of these bold decisions were ultimately very successful. I could certainly name a thousand things that I could have done better or differently, but ultimately there were no wrong decisions that would have weakened the product or taken it in a different direction.
How do you envisage the future of Art on Ice in the next 30 years?
It is crucial for the future of Art on Ice that we remain true to our DNA. The strength of our product lies in the multitude of possibilities that allow us to redesign different genres in an exciting way without losing our identity. I like to compare it to composing music. Although many of the songs have a similar structure, they are still very different musically. The endless combinations of sounds lead to thousands of new melodies every year, and we have these creative possibilities too. We can work with the greatest talents from every field and present new music, choreography and productions every year. While many shows stay the same, Art on Ice offers something new every year – and that is essential for our next 30 years.
Art on Ice 2011: Katherine Jenkins
What have you planned for the anniversary show? Can you give us a little insight now?
We already have ideas for the anniversary show, but we don’t want to go into them in detail yet, as they still need to be finalised and checked. It’s important that we don’t plan an anniversary show about which people subsequently say: “They’ve let one slip now.” Every year we give it our all. We don’t want a big show every five to ten years, but rather something new every year.
In certain areas we will perhaps put in more effort than we have done in previous years, but the anniversary show will not simply be a top-notch show. We have continuously proven that we reinvent ourselves and always work at a high standard. We consistently focus on quality in all areas, be it technology, skaters, dancers, acrobats or singers. We have moved away from selecting stars and now place more emphasis on talented artists who can really inspire the audience. This is an important factor for the future of Art on Ice. We have to make some compromises and hope that the public understands our vision and appreciates the increased quality in every area.
Art on Ice 2026
Art on Ice celebrates its 30th anniversary from 26 February to 7 March 2026. A performance at Art on Ice is an absolute highlight for the stars on the ice. It means being part of the Art on Ice family and giving your best performance in front of an enthusiastic audience, without the pressure of competition. Joy, fun, creativity and the shared experience take centre stage here and make Art on Ice a unique event.
Margrith Scherrer is Marketing Manager and makes sure the world knows when it’s time for Art on Ice! She is an outdoor sports enthusiast in the summer and thanks to Art on Ice she has the perfect excuse not to go skiing in the winter.