Whitney Houston’s heart, soul and iconic sound were presented in the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) production of “The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration” at the Kennedy Center on Nov. 8.
Conducted by Steven Reineke, NSO performed symphonic arrangements with technologically sharpened video and vocal tracks of the singer. The audience heard the hits and Houston’s beloved rendition of the national anthem. A video of Houston singing “I’ll Always Love You” was from her historic South Africa concert.
“We captured Whitney’s vocals from different performances,” said Reineke. “Some videos, movies and photos so you feel Whitney Houston in the building.”
A touching part of the production was seeing Houston and her mother, Cissy Houston, sing together in clips included before the latter’s passing in October.
The National Symphony Orchestra presented “The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration” at the Kennedy Center. Steven Reineke (left), who conducted the NSO production, is joined after the show by Pat Houston, Whitney Houston’s sister-in-law and executor of the late singer’s estate. (Courtesy of Ulysses Carter)
“It’s just so wonderful that we were able to come back with such a great memory,” said Pat Houston, the celebrated singer’s sister-in-law and executor of The Estate of Whitney E. Houston. “The audience may have thought we included it because of [Cissy Houston’s] passing. But you know, it’s just family.”
The Kennedy Center was only the second time the innovative production received the live treatment. The concept was created with the Estate of Whitney Houston, Park Avenue Artists, and Primary Wave Music. Pat Houston hopes audiences will enjoy the production with other symphony orchestras nationally and internationally.
In addition to hearing the legend sing after her death in February 2012, the sister-in-law was excited for people to listen to the late artist talk about herself.
“We wanted a piece where you could hear Whitney’s voice beyond music,” Pat Houston said. “No one can speak for her better than she had.”
