 Following Knowles ' performance of the ballad at The O2 Arena in London , a writer for the newspaper Irish Independent commented that " an Irish audience surely cannot sit through the old convent staple ' Ave Maria ' ... without feeling something cold squeeze the heart . " Alice Jones of The Independent felt that the performance was an " exceedingly odd segment " during the tour . While reviewing Knowles ' performance at the Madison Square Garden , a writer of People magazine compared her look with Madonna 's . While reviewing another concert by Knowles , Ann Powers of Los Angeles Times also compared the performance with " pop 's ultimate alpha female " Madonna at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards . She also compared " Ave Maria " with the singer 's 1989 song " Like a Prayer " because they both used religious imagery to elevate a romantic connection . A writer of Evening Chronicle praised the performance of the song during the tour , saying that it showed off Knowles ' " incredible " vocals . A critic of Daily Mail , noted that Knowles performed " near operatic heights " during " Ave Maria " . MTV News ' Jayson Rodriguez commented that Knowles uses her softer side while performing the ballad . Jim Farber of the Daily News praised the performance of the song , saying that " Beyoncé hit notes with a new delicacy , then moved seamlessly into the final operatic crescendo " . Barbara Ellen of The Observer was negative about the performance of " Ave Maria " during the I Am ... Tour , comparing it with Challenge Anneka and bridezilla . She described it as " nonsense ... [ it ] has no place in a Beyoncé show " . 
