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Free Madonna concert draws crowd of 1.6m to Brazil’s Copacabana beach


Area around Rio de Janeiro beach filled for several blocks as singer closes her Celebration world tour

More than a million people thronged Copacabana beach on Saturday night, turning its vast stretch of sand into a massive dancefloor for a free concert by the pop star as she completed her world tour. Photograph: António Lacerda/EPAAs drones and helicopters flew overhead, the singer offered up a dazzling show, playing classics ranging from Like a Virgin to Like a Prayer, and cycling through dozens of sets and costume changes. As hotel bookings in Copacabana climbed to an estimated 98% of capacity, Rio state’s security readied plans that included the presence of 3,200 military personnel and 1,500 civilian police officers on standby, while the country’s navy carried out inspections of any vessel looking to follow the concert offshore.

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