Italians are understandably sensitive to tourists’ disrespect for their great historic sites, and some foreign visitors have paid a heavy price for this.
But apparently not Madonna.
The Material Girl seems to have chosen Pompeii, the Roman city destroyed by the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in 79 AD, for her 66th Birthday party on Friday at a comparatively reasonable price.
Madonna’s plans for a birthday party at the amphitheater in Pompeii have angered Italians – not because she was booked, but because of the low price she is paying for it.
Giampiero Sposito/Reuters
According to the London Times, a US event company has booked the 2,200-year-old Teatro Grande amphitheater in Pompeii for 30,000 euros, or just under $30,000.
Up to 500 guests are expected, including reportedly Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry.
Carmine Lo Sapio, the mayor of Pompeii, sounds like he’s a fan. “We are ready to welcome the singer,” he said, and Madonna’s Italian fan club is reportedly preparing for the Queen of Pop’s arrival.
But cultural and environmental groups in Italy are not so sure.
The Times quoted Michele Campisi, general secretary of the heritage association Italia Nostra, as saying: “Why does Madonna have to go to Pompeii? Isn’t there a nicer beach she could use? 30,000 euros is absurd. It’s like giving Pompeii away.”
He said Pompeii had four million visitors a year and did not need advertising from Madonna.
And cultural activist Rosanna Carrieri, president of Mi Riconosci, expressed concern about the trend of using historical sites as a “backdrop” for events.
But Madonna may not be too concerned about all this. She could easily claim that her 66th birthday is a cultural event in itself.
