Prince Performs in Madrid After Cancellation in Italy

Rock star Prince went on in Madrid as scheduled Sunday night after canceling another weekend concert in Turin because of a production delay.

According to his manager, the Friday show in Turin was canceled because the crew was delayed at an earlier show in southern Italy, where local promoters parked forklifts in their way because of a quarrel. A police official said the argument was over money. Prince’s manager, Randy Phillips of Stiefel-Phillips Entertainment, claimed that the crew was threatened and roughed up by local promoters after a show in Cava de’ Tirreni, 150 miles south of Rome. Police denied there was violence.

In addition, forklifts were moved in front of the stadium’s exits to restrict the crew’s movement, Phillips said, preventing the crew from getting to Turin in northern Italy in time.

But the police superintendent in Cava de’ Tirreni, Giuseppe Fortunato, said that no violence took place after the concert Wednesday night and that only an argument occurred Thursday morning, when the crew was leaving.

“It was resolved tranquilly, and that was it,” he said in a telephone interview. He added that the argument was over “a question of money” but said he had no details, and Philipps could not be reached fo comment.

Prince, on his Nude Tour of Europe, is known for his hits that include “Purple Rain,” “Controversy,” and “Little Red Corvette.”