Pneumonia forces Elton to cut short Auckland gig
Elton John has tearfully apologized to fans after cutting short a concert in New Zealand because of illness, with the British superstar saying he was experiencing "walking pneumonia".
The 72-year-old, who's amid a grueling world tour, struggled to sing while seated at a grand piano throughout a performance at Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday night.
After being checked by a medic with a stethoscope, he battled on through two more songs before calling a halt to proceedings barely halfway through his set list. "I can't sing, I've just completely lost my voice," he told concert-goers in a croaky rasp."I've surely got to go. I'm so sorry."
Elton John's illness comes as health authorities worldwide are on highalert for signs of the novel corona virus, which has infected a lot more than 70,000 and killed 1,770 in mainland China.
New Zealand does not have any reported cases of the virus. Video showed Elton John, dressed up in a powder-blue suit and wearing his trademark oversized glasses, standing at the piano and shrugging his shoulders at the crowd in a gesture of helplessness.
Then shuffled off the stage along with his head bowed, helped by members of his road crew as the crowd cheered their support. "I was identified as having walking pneumonia earlier today, but I was determined to provide you with the very best show humanly possible," he later tweeted.
"I played and sang my heart out, until my voice could sing forget about. I'm disappointed, deeply upset and sorry. I gave everything I had." Walking pneumonia can be an informal term for atypical pneumonia, which causes mild infections of the respiratory system, based on the US Centers for Disease Control.
