Russian ballet dancer Vladimir Shklyarov has passed away in a tragic incident. He was 39 years old.

Vladimir took his last breath on November 16 after falling from the fifth floor of a building, a spokesperson for the Mariinsky Theatre told the local news outlet Fontanka.

The incident occurred while the dancer was on painkillers before a spinal surgery scheduled for November 18.

The Mariinsky Theatre confirmed Vladimir’s passing on Saturday by sharing a heartfelt post on Instagram.

“Tonight, the favorite of the public, the star premier of the Mariinsky Theater, Honored Artist of Russia Vladimir Shklyarov, died tragically. This is a huge loss for the entire staff of the Mariinsky Theater,” the opera house began the lengthy post while sharing a monochrome photo of Vladimir.

“We express our condolences to the family, friends of the artist and all the many fans of his work and talent,” the statement continued.