Antoine Hodge, Opera Singer Passes Away
Antoine Hodge, a rising opera singer and Georgia native, has died from complications of COVID-19.
Hodge died in Orlando, Florida at the AdventHealth Orlando Hospital. In fact, he was taken there for advanced treatment.
The Opera Singer’s Claim to Fame
Hodge, a bass-baritone, had made his debut with New York’s Metropolitan Opera for its 2019-2020 production of George Gershwin opera, Porgy and Bess. In addition, he earned a solo in the show. He posted his joy on Facebook that day.
“It didn’t matter if I was a main artist or part of the ensemble,” Hodge wrote, “as long as I got to do it.”
Hodge highlighted the other Black performers around him during the performance.
“I’m excited to bring my talent to one of the most important opera stages with an incredible cast of beautiful black souls,” he said.
The Metropolitan Opera Responds
The Metropolitan Opera issued a statement following Hodge’s passing.
“Antoine’s immense talent lit up our stage and contributed to the sense of community in ‘Porgy and Bess’ that our audiences adored,” the statement read. “Our thoughts are with Antoine’s loved ones, friends, and admirers here at the Met.”
Hodge’s appearance with The Met was a culmination of a 15-year career in opera. Opera Wire reports that Hodge earned leading roles in several opera companies over the past decade. This list includes the Atlanta Opera, the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Utah Festival Opera, and many more.
He lent his voice to well-known operas like Marriage of Figaro, La Bohème and La Traviata. Along with engaging in concert performances of classical pieces like the “Mozart Requiem,” Handel’s “Messiah,” and Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9.”
Several Opera Greats Lose Their Lives to Covid
Hodge is the latest of several other members of the Met Opera orbit to pass away from COVID-19.
At the top of the year, opera director Elijah Moshinsky died of COVID-19 at age 75, according to NYT.
According to WABC-TV, The Met Opera orchestra’s longtime assistant conductor, Joel Revzen, died May 2020, and violist Vincent Lionti passed that April.
Prayers up to Antoine Hodge’s family as they maneuver through this difficult time.
