Chethma De Mel, Jadetimes Staff
C. J. De Mel is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Entertainment News
The death of Vladimir Shklyarov, the brilliant principal dancer of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, has thrown the ballet world into mourning. The messages of tribute have arrived by the hundreds for the artist, hailed as an "extraordinary talent" whose performances conquered stages all over the world.
The Mariinsky Theatre said in a statement Saturday that it was deeply saddened by Shklyarov's passing, calling it a colossal loss for the company and world ballet. Russian media reported his death is being investigated by federal authorities. According to reports, Shklyarov fell from the fifth floor of a building in St. Petersburg while in a painkiller-induced haze.
"This is an immense loss not just for the Mariinsky but for contemporary ballet as a whole," the theatre said, extending its condolences to his family, friends, and admirers.
Shklyarov is survived by his wife, a fellow Mariinsky dancer, Maria Shklyarov, and two children. Born in Leningrad, he studied at the renowned Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, graduating in 2003. He joined the Mariinsky Theatre in the same year and became a principal dancer in 2011. Two decades at the top saw him dance the lead in the classical repertoire of ballets such as Giselle, Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote, Swan Lake, and Romeo and Juliet.
His talent took him onto many of the world's leading stages, such as London's Royal Opera House and New York's Metropolitan Opera. Shklyarov also guested with American Ballet Theatre in 2014 and 2015; the company paid tribute to him on Instagram: "Your light will continue to shine through the beauty you brought to this world."
During his career, he won major awards, including the 2008 Léonide Massine International Prize, and in 2020 was appointed Honoured Artist of Russia. The Mariinsky Theatre described him as "inimitable" and said, "He forever inscribed his name in the history of world ballet."
Shklyarov's life as a dancer continues to inspire graceful and passionate lives for generations to come.
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