Gerardina Trovato cancels summer tour after throat cyst diagnosis, faces two urgent surgeries

A tearful video message

On 23 July 2026, Gerardina Trovato posted a video on her Instagram profile that immediately alarmed fans. Visibly emotional and thinner than in recent appearances, the 59-year-old singer explained that she was forced to halt her "Garantisco il ritorno" tour, which had launched on 13 June. The tour was her first major live outing in years and was designed as a full artistic rebirth, featuring her classic hits rearranged in a modern style, two unreleased tracks and an additional surprise for audiences.

I was happy, truly happy, because after so, so long I was about to return to Sicily and many other regions of Italy, with a fantastic group of brilliant musicians and the support of my manager Enrico.

She recounted that during rehearsals she felt a pain in her throat. At first she thought it was simple fatigue and that a day or two of rest would be enough.

I thought a good night's sleep, a day or two of rest at most, and then off we go. There was the illusion of being able to start again straight away.

From fatigue to a CT scan

The discomfort did not fade, so Trovato consulted an ear, nose and throat specialist. The doctor ordered a CT scan with contrast dye, which revealed a cyst located in a sensitive spot, pressing directly on her vocal cords. The singer said the specialist's words did not fully reassure her about the nature of the growth, but the immediate priority is surgical removal.

The ENT's words didn't reassure me that it's benign, but it doesn't matter. I have to undergo two operations: one for the cyst and one on the vocal cords.

She will be admitted to the Policlinico hospital. After the two procedures, she faces a mandatory period of rehabilitation and vocal rest, which makes any live performance impossible for the remainder of the 2026 season.

A career interrupted again

The news is particularly bitter because Trovato's career had already weathered long silences. Born in Catania in 1967 to a doctor and a piano teacher, she showed precocious talent, reaching the semi-finals of the children's song contest Zecchino d'Oro at age three. After moving to Rome, she was introduced to label executive Caterina Caselli, who signed her to Sugar. Her breakthrough came at the 1993 Sanremo Festival, where "Ma non ho più la mia città" finished second among the New Proposals, just behind Laura Pausini. The debut album produced by Mauro Malavasi sold roughly 200,000 copies. A year later she returned to Sanremo with the anti-war song "Non è un film" and recorded the duet "Vivere" with Andrea Bocelli.

The 2026 tour was meant to close a long chapter of personal struggles and reconnect her with audiences across Italy. Its abrupt suspension leaves those plans uncertain.

A promise and a prayer

Vocal cord surgeries are a known occupational risk for singers. Tiziano Ferro stepped away in 2023 for a similar operation, and only weeks ago Eros Ramazzotti announced he would undergo another vocal cord procedure after the final date of his world tour in Turin. Trovato, however, ended her message with a vow rather than a farewell.

I guarantee you I will return to singing as before, if not better than before, and as soon as possible. Say a little prayer for me, I love you all very much.

She thanked her band, her manager Enrico and her entire team, and expressed hope to see fans under the stage again soon.