Photo via madonna.com
By Jun Ramirez and Neil Ramos/mb.com.ph – Queen of Pop Madonna arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) early yesterday, or two days before she was to hold her first concert in the Philippines at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.
The Manila leg of Madonna’s “Rebel Heart” concert tour, to be held at the 20,000-seat SM MOA Arena, was originally a one-night only affair. However, clamor was such that tickets for the show sold out a mere week after it was announced, prompting organizers to add another concert date on Feb. 25, going on to offer priority seats for members of Madonna’s official fan club Icon, Citibank cardholders and Globe Telecom subscribers.
Madonna, 56, who is Madonna Louis Ciccone in real life, and her 42-man entourage arrived at a reserved runway near the NAIA I terminal aboard a chartered private jet from Macau.
She and her companions then underwent the routine arrival formalities and inspection by immigration officers as well as from personnel of the Customs and quarantine bureaus.
It was learned that among those who joined Madonna in her Manila trip were her adopted daughter, Chifundo Mercy James, and her adopted son, David Banda.
It was not known if Banda, who is known for being a talented rapper and dancer, would perform with his mother at the concert.
The others in her entourage were her backup singers, dancers, band members, security aides, makeup artists, hair stylists, choreographers, and assistants.
Except for three Israelis, three Frenchmen, a Briton, an Italian, a Canadian, and a Briton, the rest of the entourage were all American citizens.
Madonna’s special flight was handled by Airmen Aviation Solution Corp. and the private jet that flew her into Manila was owned by Gain Jet Aviation Asia and was manned by nine crew members.
After going through customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) formalities, Madonna and her companions were taken to the Nobu Hotel in the City of Dreams complex where they would be staying while in the country.
She and her entourage are scheduled to for Singapore on Friday.
Concert tickets would cost at least P3,150 for general admission and up to P57,750 for the front VIP section.
The “Rebel Heart” tour, which kicked off in Montreal, Canada last September, is said to be the 56-year-old pop queen’s third and final tour under her 10-year deal with Live Nation, Inc., which was signed in 2007 for a whooping $120 million.
She hit the road prior in 2012 with the “MDNA” tour, which grossed $305.2 million ($314.58 million in 2016 dollars) on its way to becoming the tenth highest-grossing tour of all time, according to a report on The Los Angeles Times.
Madonna is expected to perform most of her hits in the “Rebel Heart” show, including pop classics “Like a Virgin,” “Cherish,” Vogue,” and more.
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