Keep reading for an exclusive, eyewitness account of The MDNA Tour's opener in Tel Aviv by a longtime and trusted Boy Culture reader/discerning Madonna fan...

"The show is extremely rich in visual material and less of a sing-along. M's show must be seen in smaller venues. So much care in details gets lost in a stadium. 

"Her entrance and the opening number were grand! Felt like Madonna Does Vegas. A bit too dark and violent, a feast for the eyes and less of a concert-party, the first half didn't really get me jumping up and down, despite a (short) cheerleader section. Some songs at the beginning were used to fit in the narrative of the show, but failed musically.

"'Hung Up' totally missed connection with the audience again, like in Sticky & Sweet—guess that song only works in the original arrangement. 'Open Your Heart' was uncovincing too, which is sad, having waited 22 years, but let me hear it again at the next show. 

"The Basque musicians, with great harmonies and rhythm, are the best world-music contribution to all of her shows (Scottish for RIT, Middle Eastern for Confessions, Balkan for S&S).

"'Masterpiece' was simply beautiful. Her peace speech was a bit too long and repetitive; she said the best line when the music had already started.

"I simply adored all of the second half, especially the section that did justice to all of her work in the magnificent and long-overlooked early '90s style and music. So theatrical, elegant and sexy...I called it Girlie Show 2.0! 'Vogue' was stunning, 'Erotic Candy Shop' was a great surprise. 

"The 'Justify My Love' video is as beautiful as DWT's 'Paradise (Not for Me)'. 

"'Nobody Knows Me' is a bit too much of a repetition of the 'Sorry' Remix and 'Get Stupid', but in it you have an important message about equality.

"I am glad she put 'I'm Addicted' and 'I'm a Sinner' at the end of the show, doing justice to some great material on the MDNA album that has been overshadowed by undeniably wrong singles choices. 

"I must say that the distance from the stage and the cold audience (how unexpected of Israel! They woke up from their sleep only for 'Like a Prayer'!) affected my perception and participation, but I can't wait to see it from the field in Italy, with an audience largely consisting of true fans.

"So odd she left out 'Love Spent'—that was the only setlist disappointment—but finally, she has done a consistent revision of her live repertoire and show structure! 

"Despite the bad sound in the stadium, I thought her singing was good. Many new songs had her live voice compressed and auto-tuned, like in the album, and in others she had some obvious pre-recorded help, but generally it felt very much a heart-felt, sung-through show. The 'Like a Virgin' waltz, with totally different harmonies, had her in her sexiest, lowest register ever. 

"What else? Great hairdos! A couple of very disappointing costumes, but one, by Gaultier, was ICONIC and could define her image in the public eye for a long time!"