Fridae

Madonna's record breaking Confessions Tour filmed at London's Wembley Arena during her worldwide sold-out 25-city run in 2006 has been banned in Singapore for her performance on a massive neon cross in a mock-crucifixion.

The Confessions Tour: Live from London DVD includes the full, unedited version of the controversial performance of her 1986 single "Live To Tell" as well as songs that span the course of Madonna's extraordinary career such as "Ray of Light", "La Isla Bonita", "Like A Virgin", "Erotica", "Music" to "Hung Up" and "Sorry" from her "Confessions On A Dance Floor" CD.

Having already been criticised in the United States where the tour first launched, the 48-year-old mother of two was again criticised by religious groups for kneeling and taking off a crown of thorns to the back-drop of a crucifix during her concert in Rome where the Holy See - which governs the Catholic Church on behalf of the Pope - is located.

The sold-out Confessions World Tour, which went to from major US cities, Canada, Europe and Japan, is the highest-grossing tour ever by a female artist in history.

Nearly two decades ago, Madonna who has a Catholic Italian-American father attracted the ire of the Catholic Church for featuring burning crosses, statues crying blood and seducing a black Jesus in her "Like a Prayer" video.

In late January, Dutch prosecutors announced that the singer will not face charges over the mock crucifixion staged on her 2006 world tour after a Protestant party SGP had called for the singer to be prosecuted. The Amsterdam prosecutor's office said the scene lent itself "to different interpretations" and through her show, "the singer tried to express her frustrations about certain situations in the world."

"It is not a question of contempt for God. Furthermore, Madonna did not discredit Christians as a group," said the prosecutor's office.

In September last year, the star said her performance was an appeal for AIDS charities and released a statement regarding the controversy. She said her specific intent is to "bring attention to the millions of children in Africa who are dying every day, and are living without care, without medicine and without hope."

"My 'confession' follows and takes place on a Crucifix that I ultimately come down from. This is not a mocking of the church. It is no different than a person wearing a Cross or 'Taking Up the Cross' as it says in the Bible. My performance is neither anti-Christian, sacrilegious or blasphemous. Rather, it is my plea to the audience to encourage mankind to help one another and to see the world as a unified whole."

"I am asking people to open their hearts and minds to get involved in whatever way they can."

According to Warner Music, The Confessions Tour DVD is currently being distrubuted across Asia except for Singapore and Malaysia where the DVD is pending approval.

The Confessions Tour: Live from London DVD is now available on Fridae Shop at US$19.90.