Russian ballet star Vladimir Shklyarov dies aged 39 after falling from building

An investigation has been launched

A spokesperson for the Mariinsky Theatre told the news outlet Fontanka at the weekend that Shklyarov died after falling from the fifth floor of a building on Saturday.

Anna Kasatkina, the spokesperson, said that the 39-year-old had been taking painkillers for a back injury and was scheduled to undergo spinal surgery on Monday.

A federal investigation has been launched to investigate the dancer's death but the 'preliminary cause' has been ruled an accident according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Shklyarov was born in St Petersburg in 1985 and became Mariinsky Theatre's principle dancer in 2011 after joining eight years earlier.

The company called his death “a huge loss”.

In a statement they said: “Our condolences to the artist’s family, loved ones, friends and all the numerous admirers of his work and talent … he forever inscribed his name in the history of world ballet.”

Throughout her 20-year career, Shklyarov starred in productions of Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, Don Quixote and Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice in Wonderland.

He performed all over the world, including in New York City with Metropolitan Opera and at the Royal Opera House in London.

He was married to fellow Mariinsky Theatre dancer, Maria Shirinkina, with whom he had two children.

Several Russian dancers paid tribute to Shklyarov with Irina Baranovskaya calling his death a 'stupid, unbearable accident'.

Baranovskaya claimed Shklyarov 'went out onto the balcony to get some air and smoke' and 'lost his balance' on the 'very narrow balcony'.

Diana Vishneva said: “This tragedy brings only tears and sadnesss … This is the tragedy for our theatre, our common grief, feeling of emptiness.

“You were the favourite partner … My beautiful Romeo, my brave Prince in Cinderella.”

American Ballet Theatre where Shklyarov was a guest performer in 2014 and 2015 took to Instagram to pay tribute calling him 'an extraordinary artist whose grace and passion inspired audiences worldwide'.