Madonna restarted her injury-plagued “Madame X” world tour in London on Wednesday night, earning a raft of positive reviews from the British media.
After cancelling dates in Portugal and the U.K. because of injury, the 61-year-old singer took to the stage two days later than planned at London’s Palladium.
So far, 10 of the tour’s 93 dates have been called off after the star was ordered to “step back” from performing by doctors.
“I have injuries that have plagued me since the beginning of the tour but I must always listen to my body and put my health first,” she wrote on Instagram over the weekend, after cancelling the opening date of her residency at the Palladium.
“The last thing I want to do is disappoint my fans or compromise the integrity of my show.”
The pop star did not disappoint, however, with critics praising the concert, which U.K. newspaper The Daily Telegraph suggested might have been her “best show ever.”
“Pop music is supposed to be weird, sexy, silly and exciting – Madonna brought all of that and more to a thrilling London show,” wrote The Daily Telegraph’s chief music critic Neil McCormick.
Meanwhile, U.K. tabloid The Sun said Madonna was on immaculate form, putting on “one of the most extraordinarily physical and emotional concerts in music history.”
The star took to the stage wearing knee supports but otherwise refused to make concessions to the “indescribable” pain she has recently been experiencing.
According to the BBC, she performed high kicks, yoga poses and the splits during a “highly-polished” show that lasted 2.5 hours.