"We have had her in since Saturday. She came from Russia by plane and was brought here by ambulance on arrival," said a spokesman for the Sant Pau hospital in the soprano's native Barcelona.

Caballe has toured the opera houses of the world and came to mainstream prominence when she recorded a song with Freddy Mercury for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.

The spokesman added that Caballe was recovering and had been "conscious the whole time" since the stroke, which made her feel dizzy and fall, breaking her upper arm.

"She is conscious, talking and has not lost any of her faculties," said the spokesman, adding that she would be kept in hospital at least for five days.