A night of opera turned into a horrifying tragedy when Russian performer Yevgeny Kulesh was crushed to death on stage during a live performance at Moscow’s famous Bolshoi Theatre.
Kulesh, 37, died during a performance of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera Sadko on October 9, 2021, after a large piece of stage scenery descended during a scene change and trapped him underneath.
The shocking incident happened in front of a packed theatre, with some members of the audience initially believing the commotion on stage was part of the performance.
According to reports, Kulesh was among the performers on stage when the scenery began to move. He reportedly went in the wrong direction as the backdrop was being lowered and became trapped beneath it.
The Moscow Times reported that Kulesh died before an ambulance crew could arrive. He had been working with the Bolshoi Theatre since 2002 as part of the group of performers who appeared on stage as extras.
Audience Initially Thought It Was Part of the Opera
The situation became even more disturbing because spectators did not immediately realise that a real accident had occurred.
An audience member told Russian media that she suddenly heard people shouting for a doctor and asking for an ambulance after someone was struck by the backdrop.
The orchestra then abruptly stopped playing.
Within moments, the curtain came down and theatre staff instructed the audience to leave the auditorium.
The Washington Post reported that videos circulating online appeared to show performers desperately calling for the performance to stop and pleading with staff to lift the heavy scenery.
The Bolshoi Theatre subsequently confirmed that the performance had been immediately stopped and that spectators were asked to leave the hall.
Performers Rushed to Help
Footage from the theatre showed the distress among members of the cast as they realised the seriousness of the situation.
Performers could be seen reacting in panic while staff attempted to deal with the fallen scenery.
The incident reportedly happened during a scenery change in Sadko, a 19th-century opera composed by Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
Reports said the heavy backdrop had been lowered onto the stage when Kulesh became trapped underneath it.
The tragedy was particularly shocking because it unfolded in the middle of a live performance, with actors, musicians and spectators suddenly confronted with an emergency in a setting designed for entertainment.
Investigation Opened Into Performer’s Death
Following the incident, Moscow’s Investigative Committee opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Kulesh’s death.
Authorities were expected to examine how the stage scenery was being operated, what safety procedures were in place and exactly how Kulesh became trapped.
Some reports suggested that the performer had moved in the wrong direction during the scenery change. However, this detail was reported by Russian media and should not be treated as an established finding about responsibility.
Former Bolshoi principal dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze also criticised the theatre’s backstage working conditions after the tragedy, arguing that performers had faced dangerous conditions behind the scenes.
Kulesh Had Worked at the Bolshoi Since 2002
Kulesh had spent almost two decades working with the Bolshoi Theatre before the fatal accident.
The theatre later announced his death and expressed condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
His death became one of the most disturbing accidents in the history of the renowned Moscow theatre and renewed questions about safety during complex stage productions.
The Bolshoi Theatre has long been recognised as one of Russia’s most prestigious cultural institutions, hosting major ballet and opera productions.
But on that October night, a routine scenery change during Sadko became a fatal accident that brought the performance to an abrupt end.
For the audience members who witnessed the chaos, the tragedy was particularly difficult to process because the first signs of panic appeared to be part of the theatrical performance.
Instead, the screams, the sudden silence from the orchestra and the closing curtain marked the moment a real-life disaster had unfolded on one of the world’s most famous stages.
Kulesh’s death remains a stark reminder of the hidden risks performers and stage crews can face while working behind the spectacle of live theatre.
The Washington Post — Bolshoi performer killed in onstage accident during opera
