Vladimir Gorokhov, Deputy Artistic Director of Moscow’s Helikon Opera, has died at the age of 47.

According to Opera Magazine, Gorokhov died of a heart attack.

Born in the city of Yasny on June 7, 1976, Gorokhov entered the Orenburg Musical College in the vocal department and went on to be a radio host, editor of youth programs of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company Orenburg. He was also a correspondent for the Orenburg regional newspaper New Generation.

As a journalist, Gorokhov became acquainted with opera artists and musicians who came on tour to Orenburg. He later went on to participate in vocal competitions and in 1996 Vladimir Gorokhov entered the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, in the opera vocal class of Artur Arturovich Eizen, People’s Artist of the USSR.

That same year, he began working at the Helikon Opera, first as a choir artist and ticket controller, then he became an administrator and chief administrator.

He would eventually head the departments of marketing, public relations, and special projects and in 2005, he became Deputy Artistic Director for Administrative Affairs. Finally, in 2016 he was appointed Deputy General Director and Artistic Director of the Helikon Opera for general issues and in 2017 took over as First Deputy General Director – Artistic Director.

In 2016 he was awarded the title of “Honorary Worker of Culture of the City of Moscow” and in 2021, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave him the Honored Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation.