Madonna Makes Russian Debut

This story was written by CBS News Moscow bureau chief Beth Knobel

It was the Material Girl's first concert in this formerly communist country — and nearly 50,000 fans got into the groove as Madonna performed in Russia for one night only.

"This is the event of the year!" gushed one concertgoer.

The show started with Madonna emerging from a giant disco ball. She was dressed in a riding outfit, with a riding crop in her hands. As she sang, she climbed on the back of one of her male dancers, who was clad in black leather, and rode him like a horse.

"Hello, Russia!" she yelled to the crowd. "Are you ready to rock with me?"

She continued the theme by singing her hit, "Like a Virgin" while perched on a leather saddle that was four times larger than life.

The performance was two hours of breathless entertainment. But this concert, one of the last on Madonna's "Confessions" world tour, got off to a rocky start.

First, there was a kidnapping threat against the star's children. Then Madonna's performance had to be moved back by a day. People complained that her glitzy show would have been inappropriate on Sept. 11.

Then promoters had to change the venue because the original site was out on the street and deemed too hard to secure. Madonna only got permission to play at Moscow's main stadium, Luzhniki, after Kremlin officials intervened.

The Russian president didn't show up ... but thousands of high rollers paid up to $1,000 a pop for their seats.

The fans might have been in heaven, but religious leaders were up in arms over what they say is the singer's disrespect for holy symbols. Both the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian Muslim leaders told believers to boycott Madonna.

"I'm absolutely sure that this person needs spiritual assistance," said Father Vsevolod Chaplin, a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church. "Attending such a concert is a waste of time, waste of money."

Church officials were particular offended by a number in which Madonna pretends to be crucified and sings from atop a large cross.

"It's definitely clear for me that all these attempts to use religious symbols also reflect her state of mind and state of soul.," he told CBS News "I think she's a religiously seeking person, but a person who is too proud of herself and too much proud of her message, which I see as very spiritually empty."

Of course, Madonna is hardly a stranger to controversy.

And no matter what the criticism, to most Russians, the queen of pop is totally in vogue.

By Beth Knobel