The New York Opera Festival will open with its annual Kick-Off Event and NYOA Service Awards.

The event, which will take place on April 29 will be broadcast on newyorkoperafest.org and Facebook.com/NYOperaFest.

During the event, participants of the festival will showcase live and pre-recorded performances. Additionally, the NYOA will celebrate the life and honor the memory of Antoine Hodge as this NYOA Festival Honoree.

Hodge was a bass-baritone who was a chorus member in “Porgy and Bess” at the Metropolitan Opera and also performed with the Atlanta Opera, On Site Opera, Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, Regina Opera Company, Ash Lawn Opera, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, and Winter Opera St Louis, among many others. He died of COVID-19.

The event will be hosted by Megan Gillis, Chairwoman of the New York Opera Festival.

The New York Opera Festival will host 20-plus local, New York City-based opera companies starting May 1 and will run through June.