Madonna fans waited for hours, even days, on the beach to get a good seat; the well-to-do were on dozens of boats near the beach or in beachside apartments.
Before the concert, firefighters sprayed water to cool those gathered around the stage in the 30-degree heat. During the show, which started late at night, the temperature was around 27 degrees.
Madonna, 65, stayed on stage for more than two hours on the final leg of her extensive 'Celebration' tour, which began late last year. She also performed hits such as 'Like a Prayer', 'Vogue' and 'Express Yourself'.
"Rio, here we are, in the most beautiful place in the world, with the ocean, with the mountains, with Jesus," Madonna told the crowd, referring to the huge statue of Christ the Redeemer on the city's mountaintop.
More than 3,000 police officers were deployed around the concert venue, where the Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart also attracted millions.
Rio's state and city governments spent 3.9 million dollars on the concert. The rest of the costs were financed by private sponsors.
