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Madonna will fund a youth art project to celebrate her 66th birthday

Madonna has celebrated her 66th birthday with a private evening tour of the famed Italian archaeological site at Pompeii

Via AP news wire
Saturday 17 August 2024 10:50 BST
Italy People Madonna
Italy People Madonna (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

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Madonna will fund an artistic project involving youths, she announced during her 66th birthday celebrations in Pompeii.

While touring the Pompeii archeological park Friday with its director, Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the American pop star met a group of teenagers involved in ā€œSogno di Volare,ā€ or ā€œDream of Flying."

As part of the project now in its fourth year, hundreds of young artists perform re-adapted comedies by Aristophanes, starting from Pompeiiā€™s amphitheater, Teatro Grande, and then touring other Italian theaters. Madonna announced she would fund ā€œDream of Flying" for one year ā€” about 250,000 euros ($275,000).

ā€œThis project generously supported by Madonna is strategic for Pompeii, because it is directed to the people who live in this marvelous and complex territory, in particular youths,ā€ said Zuchtriegel. He noted that many of the kids involved live in poor southern towns where rates of school dropout and unemployment are higher.

Zuchtriegel announced that the show financed by Madonnaā€™s foundation will be on stage at Pompeiiā€™s Teatro Grande in May 2025.

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