- Title: FILE: Madonna greatest hits tour to feature 40 songs and a 'time machine'
- Date: 13th October 2023
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JUNE 11, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** (SOUNDBITE) (English) SINGER, MADONNA, ASKED HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THIS ALBUM? SAYING: Reporter: ''How would you describe this album?'' Madonna: ''Every song is a reflection of Madame X. Sometimes she's a freedom fighter, sometimes she's a cha cha instructor." NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE - DECEMBER 13, 2016) (REUTERS) MADONNA POSING FOR PHOTOS AT BILLBOARD WOMEN IN MUSIC EVENT NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE - AUGUST 20, 2018) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MADONNA POSING FOR PHOTOS BACKSTAGE AT THE MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS
- Embargoed: 27th October 2023 13:46
- Keywords: CONCERT MADONNA MADONNA: THE CELEBRATION TOUR MUSIC O2 ARENA
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: UK
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Music
- Reuters ID: LVA002970513102023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE THIS EDIT CONTAINS PROFANITY
Four of her children on a stage inspired by the grid of Manhattan, 80 tons of production equipment, more than 40 songs and a "time machine" - Madonna's highly-anticipated career-spanning tour kicks off on Saturday (October 14) after it was postponed due to illness.
The pop superstar begins her 78-show "Madonna: The Celebration Tour", marking her more than 40 years of hits, at London's O2 arena, three months later after its original July start date in Vancouver was pushed back when the "Vogue" singer was hospitalized in intensive care for a serious bacterial infection.
After taking time to recover, the seven-time Grammy Award winner has rescheduled most of the tour's North American leg to start in December after her European concerts.
In an interview with Britain's BBC published on Thursday (October 12), Madonna's musical director said the delay had allowed her to refine the show.
"Madonna has very high expectations of how much hard work people will put into something. It's very uncompromising - but she's equally as hard on herself," Stuart Price said, adding the singer had made a full recovery.
"So when she took a break, that pause created an opportunity to further enhance the show. And I'm sure the opportunity (for her) to focus on being 100% well was greatly received as well."
In a press release on Friday (October 13), tour organisers said Madonna would perform on "4,400 square ft. of stage, the largest for any Madonna tour", which nods to the grid of Manhattan. Madonna, 65, began her hugely successful music career in New York.
She will have 24 onstage performers, four of her children will also be on stage, and she will transported high up around the arena "in an illuminated portal frame that acts as a time machine". The O2 has also created a bespoke "Madonna themed Royal Standard flag", made by the British royal family's flagmakers to fly at the arena.
"The person that is going to take the stage looks incredible, sounds incredible, performs incredible," Price told the BBC, who quoted him as saying the concerts will feature more than 40 Madonna songs, with over half performed in full.
(Production: Marie-Louise Gumuchian) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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