(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- On Friday, May 22, 2025, South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) presents the premiere performance of a Haitian artist on the SOPAC stage. Emeline Michel is internationally acclaimed for fusing pop, jazz, blues, and traditional Haitian rhythms into deeply moving, joyful music delivered with a charismatic live show. Showtime is 7:30pm. 

"SOPAC continues serving as a welcoming home to cultural communities from SOMA and beyond," said SOPAC Executive Director, Lana Rogachevskaya . "We are incredibly excited to welcome Emeline Michel as the first Haitian artist to headline our season in SOPAC's nearly 20-year history. This performance is a wonderful way to honor and celebrate the vibrant Haitian community in Essex County and beyond."

A master entertainer, Michel has shared her message with audiences for more than 20 years, including appearances at Carnegie Hall, The United Nations, Montreal International Jazz Festival, New Orleans Jazz Fest, and MTV's Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief.

“I’m thrilled to be performing at SOPAC for the first time,” said Ms. Michel, “The stage is sacred for me, it’s like there’s this full circle with the audience and myself. For some reason I have a weakness for small audiences instead of the 10,000 people I sometimes play for. You can see every face and I love the intimacy of it.”

Tickets range from $25-$40 and are available for purchase online.  South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is located at 1 SOPAC Way in South Orange, New Jersey.

Hailed by the New York Times as a “diplomat of music” and “the dancing ambassador with a voice serene and warm like the breeze,” hers is a cherished voice for social issues surrounding women and children worldwide. One of her most recent albums Quintessence captures the reverence and gratitude for the present moment, showcasing Michel's virtuoso vocal, singing in Creole, French, and English, with finger-picked guitars, soulful backing vocals, a children's choir, Haitian percussion, lush strings, playful trumpet, and accordion lines.

“I’m very happy for SOPAC!  Being here for so many years it is my duty to present SOPAC to my community with a great Artist like Emeline Michel to wake up the spirit of my Haitian community,” said SOPAC House Manager, Larousse Pierre, “Based on what is going on now in Haiti right now, I went above and below to make this concert a big success. I want to have a SOLD OUT SHOW, nothing more will make me happier.”

The South Orange Performing Arts Center offers audiences exhilarating and diverse arts entertainment in its intimate venue, serving as the cultural heartbeat of the greater South Orange/Maplewood region and contributing to the economic and social vibrancy of its highly diverse community.

SOPAC is an accessible cultural destination that presents world-class artists in an intimate and welcoming environment. The Jennifer & Tony Leitner Performance Hall is a 439-seat mainstage theatre with superb acoustics, sight lines and seating. Audiences remark that performances in this space are like having their favorite artists right in their own living room. Artists acknowledge that the atmosphere encourages conversations with audiences. The Loft at SOPAC is a 2,185 square-foot multi-purpose space used for performances, rehearsals, classes, and special events.

The unique architecture of SOPAC’s building, which includes a stunning 3-story glass-enclosed atrium, is also home to the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery. Beyond the building, SOPAC co-produces local events such as South Orange Summer Nights and serves students and schools through its arts education residencies.

SOPAC is invested in arts education. SOPAC serves students and schools in our region through a School Performance Series, performing Arts Residencies, and an annual juried art exhibit entitled INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition. SOPAC also collaborates with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts each year to host the Region 5 Poetry Out Loud competitions. The Seton Hall University Arts Council presents a diverse range of events at SOPAC with seasoned professionals, students, and faculty.

Nearly twenty years in the making, SOPAC first opened its doors in 2006. South Orange Village Trustees, in partnership with Seton Hall University, envisioned SOPAC as the center of an ambitious redevelopment plan. Through visionary leadership and unwavering commitment, SOPAC has become a cultural centerpiece for the region, an economic driver for the community, and a catalyst for artistic opportunity.