Soprano Fleming pulls out of show

Fleming performed at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in December

Award-winning soprano Renee Fleming has been forced to pull out of a concert in New York because of ill health.

Fleming was due to appear with the New York Philharmonic on Tuesday in a concert marking the 50th anniversary of conductor Arturo Toscanini's death.

German bass Rene Pape has stepped in at the last minute to take her place.

Considered to be one of the world's leading lyric sopranos, Fleming made her debuts with the New York City Opera and London's Royal Opera in 1989.

A two-time Grammy winner, she has been described as America's favourite soprano and appeared on the soundtrack to The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King.

She has also performed with the China Philharmonic, the Shanghai Opera Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and at last year's Nobel Prize ceremony.

Italian-born Arturo Toscanini is thought to be one of the greatest conductors of his generation.

He is closely associated with New York, having conducted the Metropolitan Opera and the New York Philharmonic before leaving Italy in disgust with the fascist policies of Mussolini. He died in the city in 1957, aged 89.

Tuesday's concert will feature footage of Toscanini conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra, which was originally broadcast from Carnegie Hall in December 1951.