The Diva in Check

The opening moments of Whitney Houston’s first local concert in five years did not look promising Thursday at the Universal Amphitheatre. The staging had all the earmarks of your typical, hollow diva affair, notably lots of show-biz excess.

As the musicians moved into place, they were illuminated by enough lights to satisfy the demands of the flashiest Broadway production and the central prop was a staircase, just waiting for the star’s regal entrance.

And, sure enough Houston soon appeared on the stairway landing, dressed in a full-length evening coat with enough sparkle to decorate half a Mardi Gras parade.

So, it was all the more surprising when Houston--a marvelous singer whose cold demeanor on stage over the years and melodramatic approach to generally lite pop material reduced her to a caricature to much of the pop world--suddenly seemed to break free of her diva chains.

As she descended the stairs, it was noticeable that her six-piece band was playing with a funky, gritty edge not felt on her earlier tours--and Houston’s vocals and spunky manner matched the musical textures. Instead of the mere vocal gymnastics of old, she injected personality and character into the songs.

It was a transformation so dramatic that it seemed like she was unveiling an entire new identity--enough so that we ought to start thinking of her as the Artist Formerly Known as Whitney Houston.

Good for her.

And lucky for us.

Brace yourself: The Artist still succumbs at times to overstatement (yes, “I, I, I will always love youuuuuuuuuuu!” is still part of the repertoire), and she still settles for some undistinguished pop material.

Yet for most of her two-hour set, which followed a merely serviceable appearance by the R&B; male vocal quartet 112, Houston held those old diva impulses in check and showcased R&B; and gospel elements that give her work far more conviction and depth.

She also moved about the stage with confidence and command, showing a welcome playfulness as she interacted freely with the audience. At one point between songs, Houston spotted a woman in the front row using a cell phone.

“Who you talking to?” the singer shouted, good-naturedly.

When the fan said her children, Houston, who brought her own daughter and stepdaughter on stage at various points in the show, leaned over and sang a greeting to the children on the other end of the connection.

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Adding to the sense of informal family affair, Houston’s hubby, R&B; star Bobby Brown, joined her on stage for a few dance steps, and then returned for a short duet with the couple’s 6-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina, on another tune.

Houston also brought R&B; singer Monica up from the audience to sing along on “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” and introduced some friends in the audience who have been instrumental in her career, including Arista Records President Clive Davis and writer-producer Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds.

The singer seemed in such an upbeat, casual mood that she lost track of the pacing in a couple of spots, causing the show to run a half-hour over its scheduled time.

While a shorter set would have been more dynamic, it was disarming to see Houston, once so lifeless on stage, enjoying herself so much.

Through it all, Houston looked radiant, moving about with a liberating sense of enthusiasm as she focused on material from last year’s “My Love Is Your Love” album. The collection was a conscious move into more contemporary R&B; textures, featuring production work by, among others, such hip-hop heroes as Wyclef Jean and Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott.

There was a tip of the hat to the old Whitney in the album (a torturous duet with old-style diva Mariah Carey on “When You Believe”), but the core of the CD was the more hard-edged numbers, from the combative “In My Business” to the moody “Until You Come Back.” And, it was those numbers that dominated Thursday’s show.

The evening’s highlight, however, was a gospel medley. Houston has always expressed a fondness for gospel music, but she seemed Thursday to bring a new sense of liberation and purpose to the material.

There was a clear sense of triumph as Houston returned for the encore. Given her extraordinary commercial success, it would have been easy for Houston to stick with what has worked so well. Instead, she is choosing to explore her artistry. And this tour, which included a second stop at Universal on Friday, is testimony to the results.