(London) Madonna kicked off her Celebration Tour at London’s O2 arena, located in the Millennium Dome complex, on Saturday night, marking her first performance since a “severe bacterial infection” led to to his hospitalization in an intensive care unit for several days in June, according to what his manager had indicated.
“I am on the road to recovery and am incredibly grateful for all the blessings in my life,” the pop superstar wrote on Instagram this summer, shortly after the news. “I am now focusing on my health and I assure you that I will be back with you as soon as possible,” the singer said.
On stage, Madonna, 65, said she had had a “crazy year” and neither she nor her doctors thought she would make it through. She said her children encouraged her and she had to “survive for them.” The opening night of the tour also marked the 27th birthday of daughter Lourdes Leon, who appeared on stage with her famous mother.
After a brief technical hiccup, the opening night of the tour was indeed a party. Madonna has sung several major hits in her extensive career. On the list were iconic songs, like Like a Prayer, Holiday, Vogue, and La Isla Bonita. She also included other titles, such as Die Another Day from the 2002 James Bond film of the same name.
In a more acoustic segment of the concert, Madonna spoke about the war between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East.
“Even if we are heartbroken, our spirit cannot be broken,” she said, adding that she hopes for “a collective consciousness to change the world and bring peace.”
Madonna has postponed the North American leg of her tour, which was scheduled to begin July 15 in Vancouver and end October 8 in Las Vegas. This leg now begins on December 13 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York and will conclude on April 24, 2024 at the Sports Palace in Mexico City.
Madonna will take the stage at the Bell Center in Montreal on January 18 and 20. She will be performing the week before in Toronto, January 11th and 12th.
