Authorities in Rio said that around 3,000 police officers would be deployed around the venue of the concert, which was described as “historic”, to control crowds similar to the city’s famous New Year’s celebrations.
In a temperature of around 28 degrees Celsius, firefighters sprinkled water on the fans who had gathered near the stage. Drinking water was also distributed free of charge.
The more mobile fans watched the concert from boats and yachts near the shore. Of course, the apartments with a view of the stage were completely occupied. Some fans waited on the beach for several days to ensure a good view of their pop goddess. Helicopters and drones flew overhead. 18 sound towers were placed along the beach so that all participants could hear well.
Photo: Profimedia.cz
Madonna appeared on stage shortly before 11:00 PM (4:00 AM CEST). She came in all black and got the crowd going with her rendition of Nothing Really Matters. The concert lasted over two hours and included classics such as Like a Prayer, Hung Up or Vogue. Young musicians from samba schools also performed on stage, Reuters reported.
The government and the city spent roughly 20 million Brazilian reals on the concert, i.e. almost 92 million crowns. The rest was financed by private investors. The authorities estimate that the concert could bring up to fifteen times to Rio’s economy.
So far, Madonna’s biggest concert in terms of attendance was the one from 1987 in the Paris Sceaux Park, which was attended by 130,000 spectators. In the past, The Rolling Stones or Rod Stewart had concerts on the iconic beach. They too attracted more than a million people.
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