Baton Rouge joins the nation in mourning the death of an up-and-coming opera singer who brought his talent to the capital city's Opéra Louisiane in 2019.

According to The Advocate, 38-year-old opera singer Antoine Hodge passed away due to COVID-19 related complications last week.

Hodges sang with opera companies across the country, including the Metropolitan Opera, and treasured a role he performed in Baton Rouge with Opéra Louisiane.

Hodge succumbed to the illness on Feb. 22 at an Orlando hospital where he had been flown to receive specialized treatment, the New York Times said. 

According to The Advocate, during his impressive career, Hodge, a bass-baritone, performed with more than 15 professional companies across the U.S. 

As a member of the chorus of the Metropolitan Opera, Hodge won a solo in its 2019 production of "Porgy and Bess," in a scene known as "Oh, Doctor Jesus." 

One of Mr. Hodge’s most treasured roles, according to a recent New York Times article, was King Balthazar in Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” The Advocate notes that this was one of the roles he performed in a production at Opéra Louisiane in 2017 and in the next two years there, as well. 

In an interview with The Advocate in 2018, Hodge said, "I love this opera. I always return to it every year because it keeps me centered. I love the story, and it reminds me to focus on what's really important in life."

In that 2018 interview, Hodge went on to say, "I usually think about it before I accept any role, but when I received this invitation from Opéra Louisiane to come back to Baton Rouge, I immediately said yes."

"Working with this company was such a great experience last year. I love this opera company," he said. 

Hodge studied voice at Georgia State University and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in music in 2006.

He is survived by his parents, Mildred Wingfield and Larry Hodge, and two sisters, Angela Jones and Amber Wingfield. 

According to The Advocate, the Met plans to dedicate opening night to him.