Elena Ulyanova, a noted graphic artist and the daughter of a renowned theater lineage, passed away at the age of 64. Her death was confirmed by the press service of the Vakhtangov Theater and communicated through its official channels.
According to reports, Ulyanova’s body was discovered in her apartment on Bolshaya Bronnaya. Preliminary information points to heart-related issues as a possible cause of death.
A close friend of the artist could not reach her by phone for two days, a situation that raised concern due to Elena’s recent health challenges, particularly painful leg symptoms that limited her mobility. The friend asked the building doorman to check on Elena. Upon entering the apartment, staff found her unresponsive. Authorities indicated that the death likely occurred more than a day earlier, and investigators have not concluded a criminal aspect in the case.
“I grew up behind the scenes of the theater”
In an interview on the program Paragraph, People’s Artist Evgeny Knyazev shared that he did not anticipate Elena’s death, noting she had shown no signs of serious illness. He described Lena as a modest person and expressed disbelief at the loss, saying the news felt almost unreal.
Kirill Krok, director of the Vakhtangov Theater, stated that Elena remained connected with the theater after her father’s passing. He told Mk.ru that shortly before her death, Elena donated the furniture from her father’s office to the theater, underscoring her lifelong ties to the company.
“Elena Mikhailovna grew up at the heart of the theater. Even after Mikhail Ulyanov’s passing, she maintained close relationships with the troupe and donated his personal archive, his office furnishings, and other belongings that are now part of the museum display,” Krok noted.
On the theater’s centennial, Elena contributed her father’s personal items and the family home office furniture for exhibition, though she kept many pieces intact for years. She regularly attended premieres, evening events, and even joined tours to her father’s hometown of Omsk. In 2018, together with the theater, she helped establish a memorial to Mikhail Ulyanov, and in May 2023 she supported the opening of the Vakhtangov House in Vladikavkaz.
Ulyanova also collaborated with the newspaper Arguments and Facts, producing metal engravings for publication. Her works were shown both within Russia and abroad. She founded a foundation dedicated to preserving her father’s memory and served as its president.
Ulyanova family
Elena and her husband, Sergei Markov, were parents to a daughter who had a congenital heart defect. The couple met shortly after graduation, marrying in 1982 and welcoming a child two years later. The girl received treatment abroad after the grandfather, Mikhail Ulyanov, obtained permission from a government official to seek care overseas. The family later reported that the daughter has gone on to live a full life following the surgery.
At the time of Elena’s death, her daughter and grandchildren were reported to be on a vacation abroad. Mikhail Ulyanov, Elena’s father, was a distinguished Russian and Soviet actor most famous for a role in the film Voroshilovsky Shooter. He pursued acting for practical reasons tied to finances and personal circumstances and shared the experience of supporting a growing grandchild. The elder Ulyanov passed away in 2007 at age 79 due to kidney complications connected to cancer. He was married to actress Alla Parfanyak, known for a notable role in Heavenly Slug. After his death, Alla Parfanyak suffered a stroke, entered a coma, and died two years later.