Tenor Placido Domingo will undergo surgery to remove his gallbladder next week, forcing him to miss performances he was due to conduct at New York's Metropolitan Opera, it said Wednesday.

The 74-year-old Spaniard, considered the world's most famous living opera singer, had been scheduled to conduct Puccini's Tosca, which opens on Friday.

But Domingo was admitted to a hospital on Tuesday after suffering inflammation of his gallbladder and will undergo an operation early next week, the Met said.

"It is expected that this minimally invasive procedure will allow him to resume his activities after a brief hospital stay," the Met said in a statement.

Domingo plans to return to the Met to conduct on November 6, it said.

Conductor Marco Armiliato will step in for Friday's season premiere, with another Italian, Paolo Carignani, leading three performances later this month.

AFP