Pompeii officials respond after rumours of Madonna ‘mega’ birthday party spark outrage

nme.com:

Madonna’s birthday are “unfounded”.Speculation had been circulating that the Queen of Pop was planning to throw a birthday party for 500 guests at the Large Theatre, a 2,200-year-old amphitheatre on the city’s ancient archaeological site (via The Mirror).It had caused many to complain about such use of the historically important ruins, with a representative from the Italia Nostra group calling it “absurd” and criticising organisers for “giving Pompeii away” (via The Independent).But now, authorities from the UNESCO World Heritage Site have released a statement distancing themselves from the suggestion. “Regarding the rumours circulating in the press these days about a “mega-party” of an international celebrity with 500 guests in the excavations of Pompeii, as well as about an alleged rent of €30,000 for the Large Theatre, the Archaeological Park specifies that these are unfounded reports,” they said.Madonna turns 66 years old on Friday (August 16), and the mayor of Pompeii, Carime Lo Sapio, had reportedly told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that “we are ready to welcome the singer”.Pompeii was famously destroyed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79, being buried under 20 feet of volcanic ash and pumice, which killed thousands of residents.Last month, Madge reflected on the near-death health scare she faced last year, writing: “A year ago today, I had just come home from the hospital after surviving a life threatening illness, I could barely stand in my backyard holding one sparkler.