Vladimir Shklyarov: Russian ballet star Vladimir Shklyarov dies at the age of 39

He was born in Leningrad and studied at the famous Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, graduating in 2003.

That same year he joined the Mariinsky Theater and became its director in 2011.

During twenty years with the company he danced leading roles in several productions, including Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet.

He has performed at prestigious venues around the world, including the Royal Opera House in London and the Metropolitan Opera in New York.

In 2014 and 2015 he was a guest artist with the American Ballet Theater. The company released a statement on Sunday mourning his “tragic loss.”

“We mourn the tragic loss of Vladimir Shklyarov, an extraordinary artist whose grace and passion inspired audiences around the world.

“Your light will continue to shine through the beauty you brought to this world,” the company wrote on Instagram.

Shklyarov received several awards during his lifetime, including the Léonide Massine International Prize in 2008. In 2020, he was also named an Honored Artist of Russia.

“He wrote his name forever in the history of world ballet,” said the Mariinsky Theater.