Italian singer Noemi suffers head injury after falling off stage during concert in San Salvo, cancels shows for four weeks

What happened

Around 22:30 on Sunday 19 July, the Italian singer Noemi fell from the stage during a concert in Piazzale Cristoforo Colombo at San Salvo Marina, a coastal town in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo. She had just finished the song "Briciole" and was stepping towards the edge of the stage to greet the audience when she lost her balance and dropped into the gap between the stage and the ground. Footage filmed by spectators shows her backing vocalist running towards her as she disappeared from view. The concert, one of the headline events of the town's summer calendar, had begun only a short time earlier.

Immediate response

Emergency medical staff from the 118 service, already present at the event, reached her at once and provided first aid on the spot. The performance was stopped immediately, and Noemi was later loaded into an ambulance and transported under escort by the Carabinieri to the San Pio da Pietrelcina hospital in nearby Vasto for further checks. The municipality of San Salvo issued a statement confirming the suspension and announcing that the fireworks display scheduled for the end of the evening would be postponed out of respect for the artist.

Hopefully it is nothing serious, we send Noemi our most sincere wishes for a swift and complete recovery. Out of respect for the artist and what happened, the administration has also decided to postpone the fireworks display planned for this evening.

The singer's condition

Noemi, whose full name is Veronica Scopelliti, was treated for a head injury. Early on 20 July she posted a message on social media alongside a photograph showing her in a hospital bed with an ice pack on her head and a cervical collar. She wrote that she had been badly frightened but was essentially well, apart from "a few aches and some pain". Doctors have told her to rest for four weeks, forcing the cancellation of upcoming concerts.

I wanted to reassure you after what happened last night. I had no intention of doing acrobatics, I was wearing my usual glasses. I got a big fright, but luckily I'm well: I have some aches and a bit of pain. I am very sorry to have to cancel the next concerts, but the doctors asked me to take four weeks of rest to recover. Thank you from the heart for all your messages, the affection and warmth. You made me feel so much love. I have a hard head, don't worry!

The singer, currently in the radio chart with her latest single "Tu cosa fai questa sera", was due to perform next on Sunday 26 July in Iglesias, Sardinia, and then on 31 July in Aidone, Sicily. Both dates are now expected to be called off.

Officials react

Francesco Menna, the mayor of Vasto, released a note on the morning of 20 July wishing Noemi a rapid recovery and expressing solidarity with the administration and people of San Salvo. He confirmed that the artist was in the care of the medical staff at the San Pio hospital.

I wish Noemi a speedy recovery. The artist is now in the care of the healthcare staff at our San Pio hospital. A thought of affection and closeness to the administration and community of San Salvo for the incident that occurred last night during Noemi's concert in Piazzale Cristoforo Colombo.

No further medical updates have been given beyond the singer's own statement. The town of San Salvo said on social media that the interrupted concert and the fireworks display would be rescheduled, but no new dates have been announced yet.