Lady Gaga turns emotional in Manila concert

MANILA, Philippines—Lady Gaga played the roles of queen, warrior, goddess and sex symbol with theatrical flair on Monday, May 21 – the first of her two-night concerts at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

An appreciative crowd – which came in droves, almost filling up the newly-constructed venue – marveled at the elaborately designed stage with a medieval Gothic castle serving as the setting for the singer-songwriter’s wild vision of “the birth of a new race.”

There was drama in every part of the show, which opened with Lady Gaga riding a horse; in another instance she was on a motorcycle; but mostly she was all over the stage carousing with a cast of agile dancers and singing about standing up to authority and asserting one’s right to be free and happy.

She dared speak her mind out over the controversy stirred by her provocative image and songs – at one point mouthing expletives but later turning emotional and teary-eyed.

The concert had many highlights, but most striking was the moment when the star of the show emphatically said, “It’s not about the music, but about being yourself!”

The show may have exposed a lot of skin and simulated sex acts, but the moral crusaders and public officials who were there to find cause to punish Lady Gaga might have been too stunned to complain against the larger-than-life showcase of talent that unfolded.

The concert’s second day on Tuesday night, May 22, will push through, according to organizers.