9 Musicians Who Died While Performing

Known internationally to opera buffs, Richard Versalle played some of the most important characters in musical theatre, including Tristan (of Tristan und Isolde) and Othello (of...Othello). He was an operatic tenor, one of the highest male vocal ranges there is, making him the Justin Timberlake of classical opera.

While performing at the Metropolitan Opera House (the play was The Makropulos Affair, for those in the know), Versalle suffered a cruel irony. And also a heart attack. (Because that was much too rare a thing for this list.)

He was halfway up a 6 meter ladder, belting out the line "Too bad you can only live so long," when his heart gave out, causing his legs to give out, causing his body to fall dramatically off the ladder and onto the stage.