The Springfield Arts Council’s Broadway and Beyond series is reaching beyond – across the pond to England, in fact – for its 35th season opener.

Tony Award-winning English tenor Alfie Boe brings his powerful voice to sing tunes ranging from Broadway to opera to cuts from his latest CD during his appearance at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Clark State Performing Arts Center’s Kuss Auditorium.

Better known to British audiences through productions such as Kismet and Les Miserables, in which he portrayed Jean Valjean in the 25th anniversary tour, this is Boe’s first major tour of the U.S.

Given Springfield is one of the smaller stops on Boe’s tour, which include major metropolitan dates in New York, Chicago and Boston, Arts Council Executive Director J. Chris Moore considers this a great chance to see a rising star on his way to the top.

“His voice equals that of one of the 3 Tenors,” said Moore. “That’s not something I would normally say, but he blew me away.”

Boe earned a Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre in 2003 with the cast of La Boheme. While Boe is best known for opera and stage music, his strong voice will also sing country, jazz and rock songs.

“People who liked our 10 Tenors show will like this,” said Moore. “You may not know his name yet, but he’s an artist who may be hard to get to see in the future. Saturday will be a great chance to see him.”

The Broadway and Beyond series features seven shows that include a variety of performers and shows that will run through April. It is designed for local audiences to enjoy name shows and performers without having to travel outside the area.

Adult tickets cost $25, $35, $40 and $45; student tickets (ages 22-under) cost $15, $25, $30 and $35. For more information, call the ticket office at 328-3874.