Whitney Houston’s 1994 SA concert remastered for theatrical release

The limited theatrical screenings will feature the never-before-released concert from Durban, South Africa, which has been remastered in 4K.

The new live album, The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban), will be released on 8 November.

In 1994, Whitney Houston took the stage for a series of three concerts in South Africa at Kings Park Stadium on 8 November, Johannesburg (12 November), and Cape Town (19 November), which made her the first major Western recording artist to perform in the newly unified, post-apartheid nation following President Nelson Mandela’s historic election win.

The three performances included a combined audience of over 200,000 attendees and were more than concerts; they were a celebration of freedom, hope, and unity. Whitney Houston’s powerhouse voice and emotional delivery brought joy and inspiration to a country newly liberated. Additionally, portions of the proceeds from her concerts benefited numerous local South African children’s charities through her foundation.

In addition, Legacy Recordings, the catalogue division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban), a new live album featuring performances from the unprecedented show, including Whitney Houston’s greatest hits, ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)’, ‘How Will I Know,’ ‘I Have Nothing’, ‘Greatest Love of All’, ‘I Will Always Love You’, and other landmark classics including ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Home.’ The new album also features the previously unreleased track, ‘Love Is’. The collection will be available on CD and vinyl for the first time ever starting 8 November.

“The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban) captures every note, every cheer, every tear, immortalising a night that transcended music and became a beacon of change and celebration,” a statement said.

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with Sony Music and bring Whitney Houston’s legendary never-before-seen concert to audiences worldwide,” Trafalgar Releasing CEO Marc Allenby said. “The message of hope and unity from the Durban, South Africa, performance is still as relevant today as it was 30 years ago, and fans are going to be blown away by how powerful this is on the big screen.”

“I know that Whitney would have been filled with joy to know that this concert film will be released around the world to her fans,” The Estate of Whitney E Houston executive producer and executor Pat Houston said. “She loved South Africa; she loved the people, and she loved Nelson Mandela. This concert is one of the most consequential concerts of her career.”

With more than 220 million combined albums, singles, and videos sold worldwide during her career, Whitney Houston has established a benchmark for superstardom. She is the only artist to chart seven consecutive No 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, has eight multi-platinum albums, and was the first female artist to enter the Billboard 200 album chart at No 1. She is also the first Black recording artist to receive three RIAA Diamond-certified albums (by a female, male, or group).

Whitney Houston – The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban) is produced and directed by Marty Callner. It is a production of Cream Cheese Films. The executive producer is Pat Houston, while Sony Music Vision is the distributor.

Tickets are on sale now here, while the CD and vinyl are available for pre-order here.