In 1994, there was no doubt about who had the greatest voice of all: Whitney Houston.
So if there was going to be one singer on earth to capture a historic moment in time, it was going to be the “I Will Always Love You” diva.
And so Houston was the first major Western artist to perform in a post-apartheid South Africa after Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994, with three shows in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
But while the Johannesburg show on Nov. 12, 1994, was the one aired by HBO, the Nov. 8 Durban date is now showcased in “The Concert for a New South Africa [Durban],” a film that will be playing in select theaters on Oct. 23 and 27 before the live album is released on Nov. 8.
It’s a rousing rewind back to the prime of Houston’s career — 18 years before her death in 2012 at age 48.
“She was at the peak of her powers,” producer and director Marty Callner told The Post. “Nobody had her pipes. And that night, she hit everything. She was absolutely perfect — no cracks in the voice, no straining, no working around the high notes, none of that. She just hit it.”
Indeed, Houston’s longtime musical director Rickey Minor also saw — and heard — something special in her that night.
“Her vocals were probably the best vocals I’ve heard in my life on this show, because of her command of everything,” he said. “She sang anything she wanted to sing. She didn’t hold back anything. Everything was up for grabs … She just, you know, ate it up.”
Minor was no stranger to the pop superstar’s live gifts, as he previously worked with her for her iconic rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 1991 Super Bowl, the “Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston” HBO concert special later that year and the “I’m Your Baby Tonight” and “The Bodyguard” tours.
“But I’m telling you, on this one in particular, her vocals were stellar,” he said. “I mean, she could sing ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ and someone would start crying.”
Callner — who was a sought-after music video director for everyone from Aerosmith to Cher — was connected to Houston through HBO in the months ahead of the South Africa shows.
“She says, ‘You want to come to South Africa with me? I want you to produce and direct [the concert special],’” he recalled. “I said, ‘Yeah, I’d love to.’ And we became very close friends.
“I thought she was wonderful, hysterically funny, confident,” he continued. “And we just had a chemistry.”
But although the introduction went smoothly, the production took considerably more effort. “Going to South Africa was a challenge because we had to bring every bolt, every nut, every piece of steel, every light, every wire, every plug,” said Callner. “They had nothing after apartheid, so we had to ship everything over, which we did.”
After rehearsals in New York, Durban was filmed as the backup show for the Johannesburg one to be aired on HBO.
“For Whitney, it was like going home to her roots,’ said Callner. “She felt her roots. It was very special.”
“If you’re an African American in Africa, there’s something that happens with the molecular structure in your body, where you feel [your ancestors],” added Minor. “I think that it was a lot emotionally for her. She was present in these moments, and you can feel that.”
Indeed, from the moment Houston takes the stage to Stevie Wonder’s “Love’s in Need of Love Today,” you can feel that she is “So Emotional” before going into a funked-up rendition of her 1987 hit.
“So good to be home,” she says after a jubilant “Love Will Save the Day” has spread that message throughout Kings Park Stadium.
“I am here to pay tribute to you and to celebrate with you the beginning of a new South Africa,” she goes on. “I am so pleased to be a part of a dream that has finally come true.”
Flexing her vocal powers, Houston brings more soul and gospel spirit to the pure pop bliss of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and “How Will I Know.”
Then, switching from her purple bodysuit and jacket after “Queen of the Night,” she adopts an even more regal presence in a gold gown and turban on “I Have Nothing” — a bravura performance in which she gives everything in every single note.
Likewise, “I Will Always Love You” and “Greatest Love of All” pierce the South African sky. “There’s, no audio fixes, no Pro Tools, no voice correction,” said Minor. “She’s singing live live. This is the real deal.”
“I’ve been everywhere in this world … And I’ve finally come home to see my people,” Houston says before launching into the “Home” finale.
Watching the performance 30 years later, Minor marveled at Houston’s “magical” moment.
“I screamed at the screen, ‘You better sing!’ ” he said. “She communicated how important this moment was not only for the world, but for her own life, her own being, how important this was to contribute and to be there and to celebrate a new South Africa.”
Callner hopes that the new concert film will remind the world about Houston’s legendary legacy as a live performer more than her much-documented troubles with drugs. “I really wanted the world to see this show because Whitney was at her best, and, you know, she was happy,” he said. “She was completely straight during this show.”
In Minor’s mind, she was never better: “Based on what I remember 30 years later, I would think that this is probably her best show.”