Portugal Colonial - Barenboim clears schedule for surgery: La Scala

"Mr Barenboim is forced to suspend his activity in the coming weeks to undergo surgery," the venue, where the 79-year-old was formerly principal guest conductor and musical director, said in a statement.

Argentina-born Barenboim has been acclaimed for a stellar career which saw him begin performing internationally as a pianist aged 10 then become a leading conductor.

He earned further renown when he co-created a foundation and orchestra to promote co-operation among young musicians from Israel and Arab nations.

Barenboim was to have performed a series of Beethoven sonatas on Tuesday as part of a series of concerts showcasing great pianists, but this will now be postponed to June 13.

Next Saturday the multi-Grammy Award winner was to have played with the Scala's Philharmonia under the baton of Indian Zubin Mehta. A fresh date has yet to be arranged for that concert.

Barenboim has since 1992 been general music director of the Berlin State Opera and its Staatskapelle orchestra, where he is under contract through to 2027.

"I shall remain as long as I have the strength. Otherwise I shall leave. I do not wish to hang around as a relic of the past," he told AFP last year.

In 2008 he took Palestinian citizenship to add to his other nationalities of Argentinian, Israeli and Spanish -- using that occasion to describe the destinies of Israelis and Palestinians as "inextricably linked".

A.Silveira--PC