A Free Madonna Concert Draws 1.6 Million People To Copacabana

(CTN News) – From Corcovado mountain, Christ the Redeemer towers over Rio de Janeiro. Madonna performed this weekend.

On Saturday evening, more than a million people turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor as the pop star ended her global tour.

In front of the tightly packed crowd, Madonna, 65, said, “We are in one of the most beautiful places on earth.” While pointing out the ocean and the mountains, Madonna stated that “this place is magical.”

Prior to the concert, the city was abuzz with anticipation as fans waited outside the stately Copacabana Palace hotel in hopes of catching a glimpse of the star. It is estimated that an additional 170 flights were landed at the city’s airport as fans poured in from all over the world to attend the event.

Approximately 1.6 million people attended the concert, some from brightly lit apartments and hotels overlooking the beach, while others from motorboats and sailboats anchored nearby.

A dazzling show was put on by the singer, who played classics ranging from Like a Virgin to Like a Prayer and cycled through several sets and costumes.

She performed her 1997 hit Nothing Really Matters flanked by giant screens to a roar of approval from the audience.

During her performance of Live to Tell, the singer also paid an emotional tribute to “all the bright lights” lost to Aids. Black-and-white photographs of people who died of Aids accompanied the performance.

A number of Brazilian pop artists, including Anitta and Pabllo Vittar, as well as young musicians from samba schools participated in the show.

It was the final stop on Madonna’s Celebration tour, which her official website described as her biggest show in her 40-year career. Throughout the beach, giant screens and 18 sound towers were set up to ensure the crowds had a good view of the event.

There was a great deal of praise for Madonna’s performance from her fans, many of whom lined up hours or even days in advance in order to secure a good seat. One viewer told the BBC, “I have never seen a show of such power.” It is unimaginable, very out of the ordinary, she stated.

There is no doubt that Madonna is spectacular, said another. In my opinion, Madonna’s concerts are the best.

In response to the death of a young Brazilian fan at a Taylor Swift concert last year, city officials ordered firefighters to spray water on fans prior to the concert to prevent heat exhaustion.

During the late-night show, free drinking water was also distributed as the temperature hovered around 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit).

There were more than 3,000 police officers deployed around the concert area, where the Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart have also attracted millions of spectators.

The anticipation had been building throughout Rio all week. Greetings, Queen! We are delighted to have you with us. Bars and restaurants served up “Like a Virgin” cocktails while Heineken advertisements were plastered throughout the city. There were billboards, souvenirs, and T-shirts bearing the singer’s image throughout the Copacabana neighbour hood.

As hotel bookings in Copacabana surged to an estimated 98% of capacity, Rio state’s security prepared plans that included 3,200 military personnel and 1,500 civilian police officers on standby, while the country’s navy conducted inspections of any vessel looking to follow the concert offshore.

A city official estimated that the concert would generate 293 million reais (£46 million) for the local economy.

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