The 30th anniversary celebration of Whitney Houston's historic South Africa concerts is being marked with a a fully-remastered worldwide theatrical release on 23rd and 27th October 2024.
Released via Trafalgar Releasing and Sony Music Entertainment in partnership with The Estate of Whitney E. Houston, The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation and Primary Wave Music, the never-before-released concert from Durban, South Africa, has been beautifully remastered in 4K with remastered audio.
Tickets for the theatrical screenings are on sale now at https://www.whitneysouthafrica.com/. The release of the accompanying live album, ‘The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban)', will be released on 8th November.
In 1994, Houston took the stage for a series of three concerts in South Africa including Durban at Kings Park Stadium on 8th November, Johannesburg (12th November), and Cape Town (19th November), which made her the first major Western recording artists to perform in the newly unified, post-apartheid nation following President Nelson Mandela’s historic election win. The three performances included a combined 200,000 plus attendees and were more than concerts; they were a celebration of freedom, hope, and unity. Whitney’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 catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release ‘The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban)', a new live album featuring from the unprecedented show including Whitney’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 8th November, and is available for pre-order at https://whitneyhouston.lnk.to/SouthAfricaPR.
“We are pleased to continue our partnership with Sony Music and bring Whitney Houston’s legendary never-before-seen concert to audiences worldwide,” says Marc Allenby, CEO, Trafalgar Releasing. “The message of hope and unity from theDurban, South Africa performance is still as relevant today as it was thirty 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,” says Pat Houston, executive producer and executor of The Estate of Whitney E. Houston. “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. On this momentous 30th Anniversary, we are thrilled that we can release this film not only to her fans, but to the people of South Africa and its new generation. More importantly, Whitney would be happy to know that her foundation continues to support one of the organizations she helped to provide financial support to thirty years ago.”
“Whitney was a dream to work with; I really loved her,” says producer and director Marty Callner. “I directed her several times, but the Durban show was pure magic and the best performance I have ever witnessed. So thrilled the world finally gets to experience that special, special night.”
‘Whitney Houston – The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban)' is a film produced and directed by Marty Callner. It is a production of Cream Cheese Films. Executive producer is Pat Houston. Sony Music Vision is the distributor.
