The sand and oceanfront boulevard round Rio de Janeiro’s famed seaside have been crammed for a number of blocks by a crowd the town estimated at 1.6 million.
Many had been there for hours and even days to get a great spot, whereas richer followers anchored in dozens of boats close to the seaside and onlookers crowded beachfront residences.
Firefighters sprayed water earlier than the live performance, when temperatures exceeded 30 levels Celsius (86 levels Fahrenheit), to chill followers gathered close to the pop queen’s stage, and consuming water was distributed without spending a dime. Temperatures have been round 27 C (81 F) in the course of the late night time present.
Madonna, 65, carried out songs akin to “Like a Prayer”, “Vogue” and “Categorical Your self” for over two hours from 10:45 p.m. (0145 GMT on Sunday) as she wound up the best hits tour that began late final 12 months.
“Rio, right here we’re, in essentially the most stunning place on the earth, with the ocean, the mountains, Jesus,” Madonna instructed the group, referring to the town’s large mountaintop Christ the Redeemer statue. “Magic.” Brazilian pop artists Anitta and Pabllo Vittar, in addition to youthful musicians from samba faculties, participated within the present. Greater than 3,000 cops have been deployed across the live performance space, the place the Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart have additionally drawn million-strong crowds. The authorities used a crowd-management technique much like their dealing with of the town’s well-known New 12 months’s Eve celebrations.
Brazilian authorities have stepped up their vigilance over heat-related well being issues after a younger Brazilian fan died at a live performance by Taylor Swift final 12 months because of warmth exhaustion.
Rio’s state and metropolis governments stated they spent 20 million reais ($3.9 million) on the live performance, whereas the remaining was financed by non-public sponsors. The authorities estimate the live performance might result in 300 million reais to Rio’s financial system.
($1 = 5.0722 reais)
(Reporting by Leonardo Benessato, Renato Spyrro, Rodrigo Viga Gaier, Sebastian Rocandio and Sergio Queiroz in Rio de Janeiro; Extra reporting by Andre Romani in Sao Paulo; Modifying by Cynthia Osterman and William Mallard)
