Patti Smith in 'good health' after hospitalization in Italy - Los Angeles Times
Advertisement

Patti Smith ‘in good health’ after hospitalization, Italian health authorities confirm

A woman in a black outfit surrounded by eight people in scrubs and white medical gear standing in a hospital hallway
Patti Smith was released from Bologna’s Maggiore hospital on Wednesday after a sudden illness.
(International Music & Arts)
Share via

Patti Smith is on the mend after she was hospitalized for a sudden illness in Bologna, Italy.

The “Because the Night” singer-songwriter was set to perform at the city’s Teatro Duse on Tuesday night, but the venue announced in an Instagram story that it canceled the show. In a statement translated from Italian to English via Google Translate, Teatro Duse informed concertgoers that the show would not take place “due to a sudden illness that struck the artist.”

After instructing attendees on how to access their ticket refunds, Teatro Duse said in its statement, “We are all sorry for the inconvenience caused by this news. Our best wishes go to the artist for a speedy recovery.” On Wednesday, Teatro Duse confirmed to The Times that the concert will not be rescheduled.

Advertisement

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Patti Smith returns to the Southland to perform her first area concerts in 18 months.

Aug. 31, 2021

In a statement shared with The Times and translated from Italian, the Local Health Authority of Bologna said the singer was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday after “a short period of observation in emergency.”

“Patti Smith is discharged and in good health conditions,” the statement added. The medical team also said it hopes to see the singer on stage soon after “an appropriate period of rest.”

In photos shared with The Times, the 76-year-old rock artist — wearing a black jacket, pants and a white shirt with her hair in braids — smiles alongside eight hospital personnel dressed in medical gear in a hospital hallway.

Advertisement

Smith’s upcoming shows in Venice and Milan on Thursday and Friday have reportedly been canceled because of her health scare. It is unclear whether they will be rescheduled.

Representatives for Smith did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for more information.

Patti Smith and photographer Lynn Goldsmith capture punk rock glory days in “Before Easter After.”

Nov. 22, 2019

The four-time Grammy nominee brought her music to Italian cities Schio, Modena and Siena before her reported hospitalization. She is set to close out the year with a Dec. 27 concert at the Salt Shed in Chicago and two shows at the Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn on Dec. 29 and 30.

Before her hospitalization, Smith — a 2007 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee — posted on Instagram about her time in Siena, including four black-and-white photos of quaint Siena streets and the interior of an ornate cathedral.

Advertisement

“This is Siena at night. The mystery of history, present tense energy,” the high priestess of punk-poetry captioned her pictures. “Impossible embraceable Siena at night.”

Advertisement