Czech world famous crooner undergoes emergency surgery

The Czech Republic’s biggest pop-star, Karel Gott, was taken to hospital on Monday after reportedly suffering two heart attacks. The 76-year-old singer was rushed to Prague’s Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and underwent surgery on Tuesday. His wife confirmed the news about the heart surgery on Gott’s Facebook page, without adding any further details.

Karel Gott, photo: ČTK

Karel Gott has been the country’s most famous pop singer for more than 50 years, and the news about him being taken to hospital flooded the media not only in the Czech Republic, but also in the neighbouring Slovakia and Germany, where the singer enjoys huge popularity. The Golden Voice of Prague, as he is frequently referred to in Germany, has been among the most closely watched personalities on the country’s Google News over the past few days, and all of the main news sites have kept fans and well wishers up to date about the singer’s state of health.

The veteran singer suffered from heart arrhythmia in the summer and was scheduled to undergo heart valve surgery in just a few months’ time. In the meantime, doctors had advised him to reduce his public activities. But despite the health problems, the singer appeared unable to slow down and lighten his busy schedule which includes personal appearances and concerts.

Photo: Supraphon

Apart from appearing at a number of concerts in September, Gott recently released a set of five CDs featuring his duets with foreign singers. He also revealed a few weeks ago that he was working on a new album, which should be released in two years’ time.

On Tuesday Karel Gott was scheduled to appear at a concert by his colleague Eva Pilarová, who was celebrating 55 years on the musical scene, but that had to be cancelled, just as all the other events scheduled for the near future. The cancellations were confirmed at the singer’s official website karelgott.com.

Karel Gott’s wife Ivana wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday that he was successfully recovering from the operation, adding that there have been no complications so far. She has also expressed her thanks to the hudnreds of fans, who have flooded the Facebook page with wishes for the singer’s speedy recovery.

All of his fans are certainly hoping that the singer, also referred to as the Czech Sinatra of the East, will be able to clinch his 40th Český slavík Award for the best musician of the year, which will be awarded in about a month’s time.