Bolshoi Theatre performer killed mid opera

A performer at Moscow's renowned Bolshoi Theatre has been killed in an accident during an opera on Saturday, the theatre said.

The Bolshoi, one of Russia's most prestigious theatres, said the incident occurred on Saturday night during a change of stage scenery in Sadko, an opera by Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.

"The opera was immediately stopped and the audience was asked to leave," the theatre said in comments carried by the Interfax news agency.

The Investigative Committee, the body that probes major crimes, said it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the 37-year-old performer, a man. It did not disclose his identity.

The Interfax news cited a source as saying that the performer was crushed by a ramp during a change of scenery. Sources told the RIA and TASS news agency he had been killed by a falling piece of decor.