The MDNA Tour

Views of the stage, depicting the inflatable roof, backdrop screens and the pit enclosing the audience.

The MDNA Tour was Madonna's fifth tour with Live Nation; it was first discussed in the summer of 2010 after architect Mark Fisher had several conversations with Guy Oseary and Arthur Fogel.[14] Jake Berry, who had worked on U2's 360° Tour, joined the conversations early on and the financial and logistical framework was set by the end of the year.[14] This period of time was referred to by Fogel as an "established window"; Fogel also noted that Madonna's tours had become a "cultural touch point", that remain a "unique animal" in terms of "striking a chord" with fans and generating media coverage.[7] During a Facebook chat with Jimmy Fallon, Madonna confirmed that she would not repeat any performance from the Super Bowl on tour, which she described as "[the] journey of a soul from darkness to light [...] part cinematic musical theatre. [...] Part spectacle and sometimes intimate Performance art".[15][16] She also explained that the concert would be divided into different thematic acts ―a custom for her tours― and that the first act would be titled Transgression.[15] She further revealed the show would include "a lot of violence".[17] The four acts were later revealed to be Transgression, Prophecy, Masculine/Feminine and Redemption.[18] Jamie King was appointed creative director, while the rest of the personnel included backup singers Kiley Dean and Nicki Richards, Monte Pittman on guitar and more than 15 dancers, including Lil Buck.[19] Madonna asked Slackliner Andy Lewis to be part of the tour but he turned the offer down.[20] Basque band Kalakan, whom the singer discovered while vacationing in Guéthary, was hired to perform on a re-worked version of "Open Your Heart".[21]

Rehearsals for the pre-production phase took place in an unused warehouse in Manhattan that was transformed into a studio with a mock-stage; on May 27, 2012, the troupe moved to the real stage at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum for full-on production rehearsals.[14] Describing the rehearsals as "brutal" and "violent", Madonna posted pictures of herself covered in bruises on Facebook.[22] As rehearsals moved to location in Ramat Gan Stadium, more pictures from rehearsals were released online;[23] video footage confirmed songs like "Celebration" and "Express Yourself", which was mashed up with Lady Gaga's 2011 single "Born This Way".[24][25] A number of fake set lists for the tour circulated on the internet, with MTV finally revealing the official list on May 14.[26] The MDNA Tour officially began in Tel Aviv on May 31, 2012, and ended on Córdoba, Argentina, on December 22.[27][28] Of why she chose to kick off in Israel, Madonna said: "I chose to start my world tour [in Israel] for a very specific and important reason [...] the Middle East and all the conflicts that have been occurring here for thousands of years – they have to stop".[29]

Stageco developed, manufactured and supplied the stage for the MDNA Tour.[14] It was triangle-shaped and included a catwalk enclosing a VIP area in the centre, bridging over the audience at 8 feet (2.4 m) high and dropping down to 5 feet (1.5 m) at the end. The stage counted with several lifts that were positioned throughout so that props and dancers could be brought up at specific moments. Overhead, there were two heavy duty tracks used to move people and scenery.[30] Additionally, it was six stories high so that members of the audience sitting far away would still be able to see Madonna.[31] An inflatable, custom-built roof structure was used to cover the stage on outdoor concerts; it was provided by Buitink Technology in collaboration with European Future Structures NV. With a surface of approximately 1.100 m2, it consisted of 11 separate cushions filled with air. The singer opted for an inflatable roof for two reasons: simplicity of erection and protection against the weather.[32]

For "Vogue", Madonna donned a re-worked version of the Jean Paul Gaultier-designed conical corset.

The backdrop of the stage was made from eight tracking and rotating video screens, which were described as being the largest ever built for a concert.[30][33] Another feature was an undulating LED floor with 36 cube-shaped lifts provided by Tait Tower;[34] placed in the middle of stage, the cubes were clad in LED video, measured 1 by 1 metre (3.3 ft × 3.3 ft) and could go up and down at a speed of 67 centimetres (26 in) per second and reach a height of 4.78 metres (15.7 ft). When retracted, the cube surfaces were precisely alined with the floor in order to create a flat surface.[30][34] Props for the show included a thurible, a large confessional, a moving motel room, fake guns including a Kalashnikov rifle and Uzis, large chandeliers, kinetic mirrors and a rustic multi-layered riser, from where Kalakan performed.[30][29][35] It took four planes to ferry the tour across countries.[14]

Designers working on the tour's wardrobe included Arianne Phillips, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jeremy Scott and Alexander Wang.[36] Dolce & Gabbana created the outfits worn by the band and background vocalists; 700 shoes were provided by Prada, Miu Miu and Madonna's own brand Truth or Dare.[37] Costumes created by Phillips included a Joan of Arc-inspired getup fashioned from metal mesh and Swarovski crystals, and a 1940s-inspired "playful and fun" majorette uniform.[37] Phillips recalled that "one of the greatest things about Madonna is that she's so prolific [...] Whether it's her attention to detail as a director or her own work as a performer on a tour, [...] it's the same attention to detail".[38] Jean Paul Gaultier created the look for the performance of "Vogue", consisting of white shirt, black tie, opera-length black gloves and a rigid skeleton conical corset; the corset was a nod to the one worn by the singer on her Blond Ambition World Tour (1990), "but reinterpreted in 3-D, in patent leather on the outside with metallic leather on the inside", according to the designer.[37] Hervé Leger by Max Azria provided a custom-made harness;[39] additional articles of clothing included lingerie provided by Truth or Dare, bandolier vests and rams head masks created by Fausto Puglisi, and custom-made jeans by J Brand.[40] The singer made eight costume changes throughout the concert.[36]

The opening video depicted a "realistic" gothic cathedral (left), while "I'm a Sinner" (right) had Madonna standing on the cube-shaped lifts and the backdrops screens showing a train traveling through India.

Madonna recruited the services of Canadian multimedia company Moment Factory to create the tour's visuals; it was the second time the singer had worked with this company, following the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. The team had four months to develop concepts, create designs and produce multimedia content for 12 songs, including "Papa Don't Preach", "Express Yourself", "Vogue", "I'm a Sinner", "Like a Prayer" and "Celebration". The process required full 2D and 3D animation production, with video shoots taking place in India, New York and Montreal.[14] According to Johanna Marsal, content creator for Moment Factory, after being assigned the songs, they would brainstorm a main idea for each one with show director Michael Laprise, video technical director Stefaan Desmedt and choreographers Rich + Tone; they then would develop mood boards and concept boards that Madonna had to approve.[41][42] The ideas and concepts they came up with for the visuals were influenced by what Madonna and the dancers would wear onstage, along with thinking about how the live audience would see the concert.[41] Marsal recalled that the singer would sometimes "have certain words from songs" and the team's work would be to develop a concept with said idea.[42] They also were given "a lot of flexibility and freedom" and would touch base with the lighting and set designers.[41]

The opening act, "Girl Gone Wild", took place in a "photo realistic church", for which the team of Moment Factory created a matte painting of an ornate 3D cathedral.[41][42] Shooting for the visuals used for the track "Gang Bang", which showed blood being spattered, lasted three days and took place in Montreal.[14] For the performance of "I'm a Sinner", the singer wanted to capture a "psychedelic journey", thus Moment Factory travelled to India and filmed from the back of a train.[14] Finally, visuals for "Celebration" were described as a "full-blown spectacle of color and movement".[42] Tom Munro and Johan Söderberg created a video that morphed Madonna's face with a number of famous figures, including then-Chinese President Hu Jintao, US Republican former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Pope Benedict XVI.[43][44] Used for the song "Nobody Knows Me", the singer explained the video was about "intolerance that we human beings have for one another. And how much we judge people before knowing them".[45] Munro also created a video of Madonna hiding from a gang of masked clowns in a luxurious hotel room, projected on the number "Justify My Love".[46][47] For the "Express Yourself"/"Born This Way" mashup, Madonna used imagery of Roy Lichenstein and a video of monsters swallowing cans emblazoned with images of the corset and ponytail from her Blond Ambition World Tour and David Bowie's Aladdin Sane lightning bolt;[48] this was seen as Madonna taking a "deliberate shot" at Gaga by Slant's Sal Cinquemani, as "monsters" is how Gaga refers to her fanbase.[49] The logo for the magazine of the same name flashed on screens during the performance of "Vogue".[37] Videos of Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. were used on the performances of "Revolver", "I Don't Give A" and "Give Me All Your Luvin'", respectively.[47][33]

According to Stefaan Desmedt, one of the biggest challenges was mapping the videos on the cube lifts. For this, he worked with a DR controller made by UVA with features that were custom configured to project visuals on the screens. Desmedt recalled that working on Madonna's show was very different to other concerts "because it’s very theatrical [...] Whereas usually, you’d be cutting to the music, here you’re cutting to very tiny details. It’s less flexible".[14]

In his review of the opening night performance in Tel Aviv, The Jerusalem Post's Niv Elis described the show as an "assault on the senses", further writing: "say what you will about the Kabbalah-studying, gun-toting, fashionista of pop music – and everyone has something to say – but the woman knows how to put on a good show".[33] From The National, Saeed Saeed praised the "visually dazzling" concert, but noted that "while her previous Sticky and Sweet tour saw her lightly poking fun at herself and her various musical guises [...] [MDNA] was at times brutally dark and suffocating and as much an emotional exorcism as a performance".[50] Marie Louise-Olson, from the same publication, noted Madonna was "bursting with energy and looking fit as ever".[51] Peter E. Muller, from German newspaper Berliner Morgenpost, referred to the concert as an "elaborate stage spectacle of enigmatic force" and said that "Madonna live in 2012 is still magical and unmatched".[52] Ingo Schmidt from WDR 2 applauded the "provocative and sexy" show, noting that the singer still "dominates even after 30 years on stage".[53] Neil McCormick from The Daily Telegraph classified the MDNA Tour as "a typically sensationalist and schizophrenic Madonna production, mixing sex, ultra violence, religion, kitsch and politics to bizarre but entertaining effect".[54] From the Birmingham Mail, Kat Keogh wrote that "the pure theatre of [Madonna's] performance was enough to sustain the 11,000 strong audience".[55] Luis Hidalgo, on his review of the Barcelona concert for Spanish newspaper El País, opined that "Madonna shows her intelligence, femininity and elegance in a danceable and spectacular show".[56] According to Beverley Lyons from the Daily Record, the "remarkable" MDNA concert showed a "softer side to the Queen of Pop" and proved she was "still in Vogue with fans".[57]

Performances such as "Open Your Heart" (left) and "Express Yourself" (right) were singled out for praise by critics.

The performances were also praised; Schmidt highlighted the finale of "Like a Prayer" and "Celebration", the former for sounding "as thrillingly as in the original '89 video", and the latter for "taking advantage of the XXL dance floor". Nonetheless, he criticized the performance of "Like a Virgin" for being "difficult to recognize".[53] By contrast, Neil McCormick from The Daily Telegraph deemed "Like a Virgin" the "real highlight" of the night.[55] Hidalgo singled out "Open Your Heart" and "Masterpiece", as both numbers featured Basque trio Kalakan.[56] From The Scotsman, Gary Flockhart praised the performance of "Express Yourself" for having "lightened" the mood after the opening Transgression act; he also singled out "Open Your Heart", "Vogue" and "Like a Prayer", concluding that, although "it would have been great to hear a few more of the singer’s vintage hits [...] [she's] still a class act".[58] Elis singled out the rendition of "lukewarm single" "Give Me All Your Luvin'" as one of the show's "wow" moments; he also praised the mashup of "Candy Shop" and "Erotica", which he felt "showcase[d] Madonna at her visual best".[33]

The staff from Blick pointed out that "[Madonna] offered a show that was rehearsed down to the last detail with little spontaneity".[59] On his review of the London concert, the Evening Standard's John Aizlewood criticized the lack of Madonna's classic songs; "disappointingly, she dipped into one of popular music's great back catalogues occasionally and begrudgingly", the author wrote.[60] Vogue Italia's Giulia Blasi qualified the show as "huge, spectacular, often slightly tacky, obviously expensive" and blamed "the poor quality of the sound for anyone not standing directly in front of the stage", noting "suspiciously pristine vocals in the middle of very choreography-heavy songs".[61] Simon Price writing for The Independent, said that "for a woman who sings – or mimes – about sex, she's always made it seem like cold, hard work, all Pilates and no passion", concluding that "[MDNA] goes off with a whimper, not a bang".[62] Natalie Shaw, from The Arts Desk, opined that "'The MDNA Tour' finds Madge disastrously sapping the joy out of even her most triumphant choruses".[63] More negative criticism came from musicOMH's Michael Hubbard, who noted that "the vocals are unremarkable at best and auto-tuned to oblivion at worst", calling it "a gig that lacked oomph throughout".[64] In their 2014 book Ageing, Popular Culture and Contemporary Feminism: Harleys and Hormones, Imelda Whelehan and Joel Gwynne noted that there were "far more reviews of Madonna's MDNA tour than there are reviews of the other bands, and this global tour was often (inexplicably) reviewed in the UK press even when the actual performances took place much further afield".[65]

Rolling Stone's Colleen Nika deemed the concert "ambitious" and applauded Madonna for having "moved on from parading as a rock star", concluding that "no one does provocative pop better, and no one, even now, looks cooler doing it".[66] Jon Pareles from The New York Times felt MDNA was a "display of energy and nutty inventiveness", adding that it's "less a story than an excellent excuse for extravagant, perpetually surprising production numbers [...] while it turns some of Madonna’s past hits inside out".[67] Glenn Gamboa from Newsday wrote that "[Madonna's] latest reinvention might be her most revealing yet" because "her wild, nearly two-hour show is closest to reflecting her current state of mind, while building yet another artistic, well-choreographed slacklining spectacle".[68] Writing for The Seattle Times, Sharon Pian Chan wrote that "there is only one word to say after Madonna's extravaganza, spectacle and concert Tuesday night: Respect"; from the same publication, Andrew Matson described the show as "two hours of hits from a remarkable career, with high-budget sets and intricate choreography".[69][70] On his review of the show in Montreal, Marc-André Lemieux from Le Journal de Montréal hailed the concert "sometimes dark, sometimes bright, but always entertaining and provocative".[71] Mark Segal Kemp from Creative Loafing opined that "'The MDNA Tour' is not a concert – it's a theater event, complete with concepts and routines that range from well-thought-out to somewhat abstruse".[72] For Aidin Vaziri from the San Francisco Chronicle, it was a "masterfully produced and all-around beautiful concert".[73] The concerts in Medellín were deemed "historic" and "unprecedented" by Colombian press.[74]

The performance of "I Don't Give A" (left) was one of several that "ignited outbursts of dancing and big sing-along", according to Timothy Finn from The Kansas City Star.[75] On another note, Caryn Ganz from Spin pointed out that during "Like a Prayer" (right), "the entire stadium gave up and gave in".[76]

From Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jason Bracelin noted that "fresh off a bitter divorce, with a new album that's among her most unguarded, [Madonna] has seldom seemed so human or humane"; Bracelin also highlighted "the way in which Madonna continually reconfigured past hits into something new".[77] The "professional rivalry" exhibited when Madonna incorporated Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" on "Express Yourself" was singled out by Jon Pareles.[67] The inclusion of MDNA tracks received a mixed reception. For Ross Raihala from the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the "major complaint" were the album cuts, some of which don't "stand up to her big hits", also critiquing the "not-always-successful arrangements" of Madonna's old songs.[78] By contrast, Segal Kemp expressed that "if you come to a Madonna show expecting just hits, you'll be as disappointed as a casual Bob Dylan fan who expects his concerts to include faithful versions of 'Blowin' in the Wind' or 'Mr. Tambourine Man' [...] her non-hit material is every bit as adventurous and challenging as any of her hits. More so, in many cases".[72] Similarly, Lemieux applauded Madonna for "thinking outside the box", praising the performances of "I Don't Give A" and "Turn Up the Radio", which he felt were given an "extra punch" through the electric guitar.[71] Ben Crandell, from the Sun-Sentinel, highlighted "Express Yourself", "Open Your Heart", the "stylish" "Vogue" and "Like a Virgin".[79]

Slant's Sal Cinquemani considered the third segment, Masculine/Femenine, to be the show's "creative climax", but criticized the shortened "Papa Don't Preach" and the rendition of "Hung Up".[49] Vaziri declared that "the spectacle was great, but the set list was terrible".[73] Despite naming it "brilliantly choreographed and impeccably executed", Spin's Carolyn Ganz considered MDNA to be the singer's "least coherent" concert since 2001's Drowned World Tour.[76] On the same vein, Bracelin wrote that "there was so much going on, both in song and onstage, that the show felt a little muddled in places, like someone trying to force together pieces of a puzzle that don't fit".[77] A negative review came from The Mercury News' Jim Harrington: "The set list was weak. The new songs were forgettable. The old favorites were dressed up in different arrangements, most of which were awful. And the theatrics — such a big part of a Madonna concert — ranged from dreadful to dull".[80] On 2015, MDNA was named Madonna's seventh best concert tour by both The Advocate's Gina Vivinetto and VH1's Christopher Rosa; the latter wrote: "[Madonna] spared no expense to let us know she was angry. [...] After the original shock of 'WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!' wears off, the MDNA Tour is actually a very solid concert that harkens to Madonna's earlier themes of sex, religion and playing the shock factor for all its worth".[81][82] Six years later, Odyssey's Rocco Papa placed it in the sixth position of his ranking, praising the singer for "referencing her past incarnations while still offering something fresh".[83]

Dancers slacklining during the video performance of "Nobody Knows Me"; the video caused controversy in France, as it compared politician Marine Le Pen to Adolf Hitler.

The video interlude of the song "Nobody Knows Me" received strong criticism from the French far right, as it showed politician Marine Le Pen with a swastika superimposed on her forehead, before her face morphed into that of Adolf Hitler.[44] Le Pen responded by accusing the singer of stealing ―and later buying― her adopted African children; she then referred to Madonna as an "aging singer" who "need[s] publicity go to such extremes" because "her songs don't work anymore".[44] Le Pen also threatened to sue the singer if she kept the video unchanged for the Paris and Nice stops of the tour. "If she does that in France, we'll be waiting for her", she told Le Parisien.[109] During the Paris concert, on July 14, the video performance remained unaltered, prompting the National Front to sue the singer for "public insult". Florian Philippot, then-Vice President of the National Front, considered it a "very serious insult", accusing Madonna of "trying to get more people to her concerts", while Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, from the Socialist Party, found the incident "regrettable".[110] Jean-Marie Le Pen recommended his daughter "ask Madame Madonna — and everyone who organized her international show — for $1 million".[111] French anti-racism group SOS Racisme, however, expressed their support for the singer, calling the video a "resolutely anti-racist and feminist" statement.[111] Madonna tied to quell the controversy, saying she wasn't trying "to make enemies" but to "promote tolerance".[112] According to The Hollywood Reporter, the controversy affected ticket sales in France, with 4,400 tickets for the Nice show being given away for free.[113] During the concert in Nice, the swastika from the video was removed and replaced with a question mark; this was applauded by Gael Nofri, spokesperson for Le Pen, who expressed that "to my knowledge, Madonna has never changed a video before [...] It's proof that our arguments won out. It's excellent news".[112]

During the Washington, D.C. concert, Madonna openly supported the re-election of then-president Barack Obama, whom she referred to as a "black Muslim". The singer later clarified her comments, saying that she was being ironic; "yes, I know Obama is not a Muslim – though I know that plenty of people in this country think he is. And what if he were?".[114] In Louisiana, when Madonna expressed her support for Obama, she was both cheered and booed by the audience; she tried to rectify the situation by saying: "I don't care who you vote for. Do not take this great privilege for granted".[115] In her Los Angeles show, Madonna dedicated the song "Human Nature" to Malala Yousafzai, a 14-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot by members of the Taliban for speaking out on her right to have an education; "this made me cry. The 14-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot on a school bus for writing a blog [...] Do you understand the sickness and absurdity of this? [...] Support education! Support the people who support women!", the singer told the audience. Later on, she revealed the word "Malala" painted on her back. News of this spread to Pakistan, where some took to Twitter to voice disapproval of Madonna's gesture.[116]

Numbers such as "Gang Bang" (left) and "Human Nature" (right) were met with backlash due to the involvement of firearms and nudity, respectively.

The use of firearms in the performances of "Revolver" and "Gang Bang" was met with backlash. In Scotland, Madonna defied a local ban that prevented her from brandishing fake weaponry on stage; the warnings came just 36 hours before the Colorado theater shooting.[117] While on the concert, the singer joked about the ban and told the audience: "due to your laws here they might pull the plug on me so if they cut us off suddenly, write to your local MP". A spokesman for Mothers Against Guns felt the performances were "in bad taste, but given what happened in Colorado it is even worse. She should know better".[117] The use of weaponry did not go unnoticed in the Denver concert; Mile High Sports personality Peter Burns said he was "taken aback" by the use of guns; "you could see people kinda looking at each other [...] I heard the word 'Colorado' you know, 'Aurora', 'Shooting' [...] [it was] a little bit unsettling. I saw two or three people get up and grab their stuff and actually leave their seats". Liz Rosenberg told the HuffPost that "[Madonna] would rather cancel her show than censor her art. Her entire career, she has fought against people telling her what she can and cannot do. She's not about to start listening to them now".[118] Madonna commented on the controversy in an interview for Good Morning America, saying that she would not alter the performances, adding: "that would be like asking people to not have guns in action movies... I mean, the thing is, guns don't kill people, people kill people. That whole first section of the show is like an action movie, and I was playing a super-vixen who wanted revenge".[119] She further added in a letter to Billboard:

"I do not condone violence or the use of guns [...] they are symbols of wanting to appear strong and wanting to find a way to stop feelings that I find hurtful or damaging. In my case I want to stop the lies and hypocrisy of the church, the intolerance of many narrow minded cultures and societies I have experienced throughout my life and in some cases the pain I have felt from having my heart broken".[16]

Despite the controversy, critical reception towards this segment was mixed; Neil McCormick considered it "quite unpleasantly aggressive", but noted that "its hard to deny that aggression suits [Madonna]";[54] for Gary Flockhart, it was "exhilarating to watch, if in bad taste".[58] Andrew Matson opined that the act's violence was "so over the top, it overshadowed the rest of the show".[70] Mark Segal Kemp said it was one of the moments that saw a few audience members get up from their seats and leave the venue; similarly, Ross Raihala wrote that "darkness hung over much of the first half of the show".[72][78] Marc-André Lemieux gave a positive review, and said that "the aggressiveness [shown by Madonna] was nothing wrong. On the contrary. We felt that she was invested, passionate and even possessed".[71]

The "Human Nature" number was also met with controversy, as it had the singer doing a striptease.[67] While performing in Turkey, the singer briefly pulled down her bra and briefly flashed her nipple;[120] in Rome, she mooned the audience.[121] Andy Cohen said the singer's bare breasts were "old news";[122] writing for India Today, Deepti Jakhar felt Madonna came across "a bit desperate to regain her controversial stage presence", and compared the antic to Janet Jackson's 2004 Super Bowl incident.[123] Of the singer flashing herself in Rome, Entertainment Weekly's Annie Barrett questioned her authenticity and said it was "as fake as House Hunters".[121] BuzzFeed's Amy Odell defended the singer in an article titled "Leave Madonna's 53-year-old breast alone"; "apparently now when that inevitable thing called aging happens, [women] have to worry about covering up enough so that we don't look 'desperate' [...] Heavens! Women who are 53 still have breasts and... sex drives!", Odell wrote.[124]

Madonna performing a mashup of "Die Another Day" (2002) and "Beautiful Killer" on July 17 at Paris's Olympia; this concert was widely criticized by fans due to its short length.

On July 17, it was announced the singer would do an "intimate one night only performance" at Paris's Olympia hall, on Thursday July 26.[125] It was described as Madonna's way "to honor her love for French artists, French cinema and a tribute to France’s long history of welcoming and inspiring artists". Tickets for the concert were first allotted to members of her official fan club on July 18, and three days later, were put on sale for the general public; entrances were limited to two per person.[125] Due to an "overwhelming demand for tickets", the show was streamed live through LoveLive's YouTube channel; Toby L, creative director of LoveLive commented: "We are beyond elated to be hosting a global stream of one of the world's most iconic artists in such a unique and intimate circumstance [...] This performance typifies what we're doing with the LoveLive music series, which will continue to feature the world's most recognizable music artists".[126] Songs performed on this date included a mashup of Madonna's 2002 single "Die Another Day" and MDNA album track "Beautiful Killer", as well as a cover of Serge Gainsbourg's "Je t'aime... moi non plus" (1969).[127]

The concert was critically panned by fans and attendees, many of whom had allegedly paid more than €280 or had slept on the street overnight to be able to purchase tickets, with most of the criticism centering on the fact that the set only lasted 45 minutes.[128][129] After the show was over and the singer left the stage, people started booing and yelling insults like salope, the French word for "slut";[128] a crowd then gathered in the streets in front of the venue demanding a refund. Fans also took to social media to express their disappointment;[128] the video of the concert uploaded to YouTube had received more than 12,000 dislikes by the next day.[129] The singer's political talk was also criticized.[130] Following the backlash, publicist Liz Rosenberg issued a statement saying that "[the show] was not billed as her full MDNA concert and tremendous effort was made to keep the ticket prices reasonable [...] [it] cost Madonna close to a million dollars to produce. She has done a handful of club dates in the past and they were never more than 45 minutes".[131] The singer herself addressed the controversy:

"Playing the Olympia was a magical moment for me and it was real treat to do this special show for my fans and be so close to them. Unfortunately at the end of the show – after I left the stage – a few thugs who were not my fans rushed the stage and started throwing plastic bottles pretending to be angry fans. The press reports have focused on this and not the joyous aspect of the evening. But nothing can take away or ruin this very special evening for me and my fans. When I looked out in the audience, everyone I saw had a smile on their face. I look forward to having this wonderful experience again".[132]

Madonna's Russian concerts were met with great controversy; when asked her stance on the arrest of feminist punk-rock band Pussy Riot, she responded: "I'm against censorship, and my whole career I've always promoted freedom of expression and freedom of speech so I think what's happening to them is unfair. And I hope that they don't have to serve 7 years in jail [...] I think art should be political, that art, historically speaking, always reflects what's going on socially".[134] During the concert in Moscow, the singer donned the trademark balaclava worn by the members of the band and stripped down to a black bra, revealing the band's name written across her back.[135] Afterward, other artists followed Madonna's steps and expressed support for the band, among them Paul McCartney and Peter Gabriel.[136] Pussy Riot themselves tweeted: "DEAR MADONNA! We love you and you just might be changing Russia's history right now. Thank you and a thousand prayers in return!".[137] Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, however, wrote an expletive-ridden Twitter post lambasting the singer for backing the band.[138] On August 17, the members of Pussy Riot were found guilty of hooliganism and sentenced to two years in prison,[139] to which Madonna posted on her website: "I protest the conviction and sentencing of Pussy Riot to a penal colony for two years for a 40 second performance extolling their political opinions [...] I call on all those who love freedom to condemn this unjust punishment. I urge artists around the world to speak up in protest against this travesty. [...] I call on ALL of Russia to let Pussy Riot go free".[140]

The second date in Saint Petersburg was consequently met with terrorist threats, prompting the U.S. Embassy to issue a warning to those in attendance; Madonna's spokesperson Liz Rosenberg responded that the concert would go on as scheduled and that Russian authorities would step up security.[141] On her official Facebook page, Madonna had previously posted that she planned to address Russia's so-called anti-gay law.[142] Before the concert, attendees were given pink wristbands to show support for the LGBT community.[143] During the show, the singer delivered a speech between the performances of "Open Your Heart" and "Masterpiece"; she praised democracy, love, and freedom and compared the LGBT community's struggles to Martin Luther King Jr.'s fights for equality.[144] Russian gay rights organization Coming Out distributed rainbow posters and, at certain point, the troupe waved rainbow flags onstage.[144] On August 17, it was announced that anti-gay Russian activists would sue Madonna for $10.4 million, arguing that she was promoting "homosexual propaganda", and had "insulted their feelings when she spoke out for gay rights" at the concert.[145] According to one of the ten activists, "[Madonna] had been warned with words that she should behave in line with the law and she ignored it. So we will speak in the language of money"; another one felt that "after Madonna's concert maybe some boy becomes gay, some girl becomes lesbian, fewer children are born as a result and this big country cannot defend its borders".[145] In November 2012, the claims were fully rejected;[146] three years later, it was reported that Madonna had told Entertainment Weekly that she would most likely never visit Russia again because of its stands on gay rights.[147] In July 2020, eight years after the incident, Madonna revealed that she was given a $1 million fine by the Russian government, which she never paid.[148]

• Gwynne, Joel; Whelehan, Imelda (2014). Ageing, Popular Culture and Contemporary Feminism: Harleys and Hormones. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 9781137376534.