Acclaimed guitarist Al Di Meola suffered a heart attack while performing on Wednesday at Arenele Romane in Bucharest, Romania. Di Meola currently is in stable condition and receiving treatment a hospital spokesperson told the Associated Press earlier today.
Di Meola clasped his chest and struggled to walk off stage last night according to Dragos Cristescu, a photographer who attended the show and spoke about his experience with the Associated Press. While the other members of the guitarist’s trio played for a few minutes following his departure, they then told the crowd they would need to end the concert early due to Di Meola’s medical issue.
Al Di Meola posted a note on Instagram this afternoon thanking fans for “the incredible outpouring of love and support” he received in the wake of the incident. “Unfortunately, I’m facing a medical situation that requires some time off from performing and touring,” Di Meola explained. “I want to assure you that I’m receiving the best care possible, and I’m fully committed to making a complete recovery.”
The guitarist, known for his work in legendary jazz fusion outfit Return to Forever and dozens of solo albums, expects to return to the stage in 2024. Di Meola canceled remaining 2023 tour dates including fall shows in the U.S. and South America.
Di Meola was taken to the Bagdasar-Arseni emergency hospital. A facility spokesperson noted to the AP the guitarist was admitted to a cardiology ward where he is being treated for a segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The University of Kansas Health System’s website described STEMI as “the most deadly type of heart attack” and added the condition “is a total or nearly total blockage of a coronary artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to part of the heart muscle.”
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