Performer died in front of a tipsy nurse (7)
I believe the answer is:
danseur
'performer' is the definition.
(male ballet dancer)
'died in front of a tipsy nurse' is the wordplay.
'died' becomes 'd'.
'in front of' says to put letters next to each other.
'tipsy' indicates anagramming the letters.
'nurse' is an anagram of 'nseur'.
'd'+'a'+'nseur'='DANSEUR'
(Other definitions for danseur that I've seen before include "Male ballet dancer, partner of a ballerina" , "Asunder (anag); ballet performer" , "One may need to be on one's toes" , "Participant in The Rite of Spring perhaps" , "Maybe Nureyev" .)