Russian dancer Vladimir Shklyarov has died at 39
The talented Russian dancer Vladimir Shklyarov, principal dancer at the Mariinsky Theatre, has died. He was 39 years old.
The press office of the Mariinsky, without specifying the cause of death, announced:
“Tonight, our popular dancer and principal dancer of the Mariinsky Theatre, Vladimir Shklyarov, tragically died. This is a huge loss not only for the theatre but for all of today’s ballet world. We offer our condolences to the family, friends, and friends of the artist and all the many fans of his work and talent.”
His friend, the former ballerina Irina Bartnovskaya, posted the news on Telegram saying that he’d fallen from the fifth-floor balcony of his apartment: “Volodya was at home, on anaesthesia and was preparing for foot surgery. He went out onto the balcony to breathe air and smoke, lost his balance (a very narrow balcony) and fell down from the fifth floor. A stupid unbearable accident.”
After many rumours started circulating on the internet, she obtained permission from their doctor (Sasha) whom they had both consulted since their days at the Vaganova Academy as students, to share a screenshot from Shklyarov’s phone of their chat. Shortly before midnight, on the eve of his death, he wrote: “Sasha, I don’t know. Decide. I think. My hip hurts. I have no strength. You need to operate. I’m not ready, but there’s no other way out. I can’t stand this pain. I love you.”
The doctor replied, “God give you strength. I remember that after Danya was operated on, he returned to dance.”
We at GRAMILANO remember Vladimir Shklyarov with the questionnaire about his life and career he completed for us in 2016 (in English and Russian). He spoke English well and was charming, as well as a greatly talented dancer of great elegance.
Vladimir Shklyarov answers the Gramilano Questionnaire… Dancers’ Edition
Shklyarov was born on 9 February 1985 in Leningrad. In 1995 he entered the Vaganova Academy and after completing his studies in 2003 he joined the Mariinsky company.
Shklyarov debuted as the Jester in Swan Lake, and his first major performance was in La Sylphide. In 2011, Shklyarov became principal dancer at the Mariinsky Theatre.
In 2016, together with his wife, the ballerina Maria Shirinkina, he joined the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich, while continuing to perform at the Mariinsky. He leaves two children aged 3 and 9.
In 2020, Shklyarov became an Honoured Artist of Russia.
At Cannes, in 2016, he danced Eric Gauthier’s Ballet 101. We wrote:
A highlight, due to close the Gala, was the Don Quixote pas de deux with Viktoria Tereshkina and Vladimir Shklyarov. Nothing was announced about a change in programme, but Tereshkina was presumably ill because Shklyarov entered alone and danced, marvellously, Eric Gauthier’s Ballet 101. A crowd-pleaser, certainly, but also an ingenious demonstration of a dancer’s art. Shklyarov oozes personality which, combined with his formidable technique and musicality, earned him the triumphant reception he deserved.
Below are several photos he sent us representing his life and career up until that point…
Graham Spicer, aka ‘Gramilano’, is a writer, director and photographer based in Milan. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy. His articles have appeared in various publications from Woman’s Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the Danza in Italia column for Dancing Times magazine. Graham was the historical advisor on Codice Carla, the 2023 documentary on Italian ballerina Carla Fracci.
Graham also works as a dance photographer, and his photos have appeared in many books, theatre programmes, and magazines, including Dancing Times, Dance Spirit and Ballet2000, as well as all the major Italian newspapers.
He is a member of the Dance Section of The Critics’ Circle.
So sad. So talented.
This is indeed tragic news. He was loved.
I remember him in Manon. It was such a sentive performance. He won’t be forgotten.