Russian ballet dancer Vladimir Shklyarov, who was well regarded, passed away recently. He was 39 years old.
According to Anna Kasatkina, a spokesperson for the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Shklyarov passed away on Saturday, November 16, after falling from the fifth storey of a building. Fontanka, a local news source, was informed of this information.
According to Kasatkina, the event occurred when Shklyarov was taking painkillers in preparation for a spinal operation that was due to take place on Monday, November 18.
There was no quick response from Kasatkina to the request for comment that was made by PEOPLE.
The Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that an accident has been determined to be “the preliminary cause” of Shklyarov’s death, despite the fact that a federal inquiry has been initiated to probe the circumstances surrounding his passing.
After receiving his diploma from the Academy of Russian Ballet in 2003, Shklyarov became a member of the Mariinsky Theatre.
He was a member of the theater company for more than twenty years, and in 2011, he was promoted to the position of principle dancer, which is the highest-ranking performer in the company.
The Mariinsky Theatre issued a statement in which it stated, “This is a huge loss not only for the theater’s staff, but for all of today’s ballet art.”
“Our condolences to the artist’s family, loved ones, friends and all the numerous admirers of his work and talent,” the statement read.
“His boundless creative abilities were recognized with numerous awards,” the theater said as it came to a conclusion with its homage. “He forever inscribed his name in the history of world ballet art.”
A number of performances, including Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, Don Quixote, and The Sleeping Beauty, were among those in which Shklyarov appeared during his career.
The Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the Royal Opera House in London, and The Kennedy Center in Washington, District of Columbia were among the other places where he gave performances.
He was married to Maria Shirinkina, a ballet dancer, and the couple had two children together during their marriage.
After his passing, many people took to social media to express their condolences and pay honor to Shklyarov.
An additional dancer named Irina Baranovskaya referred to the passing of Shklyarov as “a stupid, unbearable accident” in a message that she made on Telegram, which is a popular social networking platform in Russia.
She said that the individual “went out onto the balcony to get some air and smoke” along with cigarette “lost his balance.”
“Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his brilliance,” the American Ballet Theater said in a statement that was posted on Instagram. The ballet dancer who passed away had performed as a guest artist at the theater in both 2014 and 2015.
In addition, they said, “May Vladimir rest in peace.” Your brilliance will continue to shine through the beauty that you have brought into our planet.
In the meanwhile, fellow Mariinsky Theatre dancer Diana Vishneva sent a touching message on X, which was once known as Twitter. “This tragedy brings only tears and sadness,” she said at the beginning.
“Volodya, it is inconceivable that you ended up passing away at such a young age and in such an unjust manner. Vishneva remarked, “This is the tragedy for our theater, our shared grief, and the feeling of emptiness that we all share.”