Legendary Israeli singer Arik Einstein died late last night at the age of 74, after suffering the haemorrhage of a major artery.

He had been rushed to the Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv earlier in the evening, but died on the operating table.

Hospital director Dr Gabriel Barbash said in a statement: “Both the director of the cardiac surgery department and the director of the vascular department tried to revive him, but unfortunately we were unsuccessful. The condition he arrived in made it impossible to save him.”

He added: “There’s no one left to sing for us.”

Born in Tel Aviv in 1939, Mr Einstein became one of Israel’s greatest musicians and performers.

Having joined an entertainment troupe during his military service in the 1950s, he initially performed as a backing vocalist and in theatre groups, before releasing his first of 44 solo albums in 1966.

Following news of his death, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “The songs he composed and sang are the soundtrack for Israel. With much sadness Israel parts with a cultural giant."

Mr Einstein is survived by second wife Sima Elihu and his four daughters. His funeral will be held early this evening at the Trumpledor Cemetery in Tel Aviv.