Vladimir Andreyevich Shklyarov (Russian: Владимир Андреевич Шкляров; 9 February 1985 – 16 November 2024) was a Russian ballet dancer, who ranked as a principal dancer at the Mariinsky Ballet in Saint Petersburg. He had also been a guest principal with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich, Germany, and The Royal Ballet in London. He died after falling from the 5th floor of an apartment building in Saint Petersburg.

Vladimir Shklyarov
Владимир Шкляров
Shklyarov in 2017
Born
Vladimir Andreyevich Shklyarov

(1985-02-09)9 February 1985
Died16 November 2024(2024-11-16) (aged 39)
Saint Petersburg, Russia
EducationVaganova Academy
OccupationBallet dancer
Spouse
(m. 2013)
Children2
Career
Former groups
Dances

Early life and career

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Vladimir Shklyarov was born in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg, on 9 February 1985. He was trained at the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, the associate school of the Mariinsky Ballet, and graduated in 2003, from the class of Vitaly Afanaskov.

He joined the Mariinsky Ballet the same year. He was promoted to principal in 2011.[1]

His repertoire included James in La Sylphide, Duke Albrecht in Giselle, Solor in La Bayadère, Prince Désiré in The Sleeping Beauty, Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake, the Prince in The Nutcracker, Jean de Brienne in Raymonda, Basilio in Don Quixote and Ivan the Fool in The Little Humpbacked Horse. He also danced the lead roles in the Paquita Grand Pas Classique, Le Spectre de la Rose, Chopiniana, and Jewels.

In 2007, he danced the lead role of Zéphyr in the première of Sergei Vikharev's reconstruction of Marius Petipa's one act ballet, The Awakening of Flora. He also danced the lead role of Harlequin in the première of Vikharev's reconstruction of Michel Fokine's ballet, La Carnaval.

He was a guest dancer at American Ballet Theater in 2014 and 2015.[1]

In early 2016, Shklyarov joined the Mariinsky on a U.S. tour.[2] In September 2016, Shklyarov and his wife took a one-year sabbatical from the Mariinsky and joined the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich, Germany as guest principals at the invitation of Igor Zelensky, the theater's new artistic director.[3] They returned to Saint Petersburg in 2017, but continued to dance as guests in Munich.

In 2017, Shklyarov joined The Royal Ballet in London as a guest principal after he filled in for Sergei Polunin, who withdrew at the last minute, in Frederick Ashton's Marguerite and Armand.[4]

Personal life and death

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Shklyarov and Maria Shirinkina at the Ravello Festival in The Sleeping Beauty, 2013

Shklyarov married Maria Shirinkina, a first soloist at the Mariinsky, in 2013.[5][1] They had two children.[6]

In March 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Shklyarov posted on social media in support of peace, "I am against any warfare!… I want neither wars nor borders"[7][8] and “Politicians should be able to negotiate without shooting and killing civilians, for this they were given a tongue and a head".[9] He later deleted the post, and did not comment further on the invasion on social media.[1]

Shklyarov died on 16 November 2024, at the age of 39[10][11] and his death was confirmed by the Mariinsky.[12] Local media reported that he died after falling from the balcony of his fifth floor apartment in St Petersburg; he had been taking pain medication before a scheduled surgery.[13][6] According to fellow dancer Irina Baranovskaya, he had gone out on the balcony to smoke and "lost his balance". According to RIA Novosti, an investigation has been launched into Shklyarov's death, although they ruled his fall an accident.[1]

Repertoire

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Awards and honours

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  • Vaganova Prix (2002)[23]
  • Prize-winner at the XI International Ballet and Choreography Competition, in the category "Solo" (Moscow, 2009, 1st prize)
  • Prize-winner at the Vaganova-Prix International Competition (St. Petersburg, 2002)
  • Holder of the Soul of Dance – 2008 prize, instituted by Ballet magazine, in the category "Rising Star"
  • Léonide Massine International Prize For the Art of Dance (Positano, Italy, 2008)[24]
  • Holder of the Zegna – Mariinsky New Talent Awards grant (London, 2008)
  • Holder of the DANCE OPEN international ballet prize in the category "Mr Virtuoso" (2014)[20][14]
  • Holder of the BALLET2000 Prize, instituted by BALLET2000 magazine (2016)[25]
  • Honored Artist of Russia (2020)[6][24]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Cain, Sian; Sauer, Pjotr (17 November 2024). "Vladimir Shklyarov, Russian ballet star, dies aged 39 after falling from building". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  2. ^ Sulcas, Roslyn (2 March 2016). "Review: The Mariinsky Ballet Offers Works Honoring Its Legends (Published 2016)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  3. ^ Jack Devant (1 September 2016). "Igor Zelensky to became director at Bayerisches Staatsballett in 2016". Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  4. ^ Vladimir Shklyarov Royal Opera House. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  5. ^ a b Willis, Margaret (5 May 2013). "Mariinsky Ballet – Giselle (Shirinkina and Shklyarov) – St. Petersburg". Dance Tabs. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  6. ^ a b c Mao, Frances (18 November 2024). "Vladimir Shklyarov: Russian ballet star Vladimir Shklyarov dies at 39". BBC Home. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Update: Russian artists and the invasion of Ukraine". Dance Australia. 7 March 2022. ISSN 0159-6330.
  8. ^ "Olga Smirnova: Ballerina leaves Russia for Netherlands after denouncing war". BBC News Online. London: BBC News. 16 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Russian ballet dancer Vladimir Shklyarov, outspoken critic of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, falls 60 feet to his death", New York Post (November 18, 2024)
  10. ^ Titayeva, Tatiana (16 November 2024). "Премьер Мариинского театра Владимир Шкляров трагически погиб". Kommersant (in Russian). Moscow. ISSN 1563-6380.
  11. ^ "Vladimir Shklyarov". Saint Petersburg: Mariinsky Theatre. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  12. ^ Edwards, Christian (18 November 2024). "Russian ballet star Vladimir Shklyarov dies after falling from building". CNN. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  13. ^ Федорова, Анна (16 November 2024). "Найден мёртвым под окнами ЖК: страшный финал «принца русского балета» Шклярова". 78.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  14. ^ a b Jack Devant (23 July 2014). "Swan Lake, Odile pas de deux, Viktoria Tereshkina and Vladimir Shklyarov". Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  15. ^ Macaulay, Alastair (1 February 2014). "The Mariinsky Presents Its Shimmering 'Swan Lake'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  16. ^ Macaulay, Alastair (31 May 2014). "In the Temple Dancer's Story, 3 Important Russian Debuts". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  17. ^ Mackrell, Judith (29 July 2014). "Mariinsky Ballet: Romeo and Juliet review – leads save dated classic". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  18. ^ Macaulay, Alastair (1 February 2017). "Review: Magic and Firebirds Show the Light Side of Russia's Mariinsky Ballet". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  19. ^ Kaufman, Sarah (17 October 2012). "Mariinsky's 'Cinderella': A hard-edged fairy tale". The Washington Post.
  20. ^ a b Jack Devant (1 May 2014). "Viktoria Tereshkina and Vladimir Shklyarov in Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux". Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  21. ^ La Rocco, Claudia (22 October 2012). "'Stars of the 21st Century' Ballet Gala at Koch Theater". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  22. ^ Jennings, Luke (15 April 2018). "Manon review – touching greatness, three times over". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  23. ^ "VII Vaganova Prix winners are announced in St Petersburg". Gramilano. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  24. ^ a b Edwards, Christian (18 November 2024). "Russian ballet star Vladimir Shklyarov dies after falling from building". CNN. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  25. ^ "BALLET2000 Prix dedicates Cannes gala to Maya Plisetskaya". Gramilano. 24 July 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
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