Youngstown native and internationally renown tenor Lawrence Brownlee performs opera songs at Powers Auditorium Saturday night. His performance, coupled with Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and various other local choirs, was titled Spiritual Journey: The Road to Peace and Freedom.

YOUNGSTOWN — A common phrase in the Mahoning Valley is “everything runs through Youngstown.”

From athletics to fast food restaurants this phrase rings true, but one other facet of entertainment also has a strong tie to the city — opera.

Lawrence Brownlee, an internationally renowned tenor, came back to his hometown Saturday evening to perform at Powers Auditorium. Nearly 800 people came to see Brownlee, the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra, Simple Gifts Interfaith Choir, Singers Together and The Youngstown Connection sing together.

The performance was called “Spiritual Journey: The Road to Peace and Freedom.”

While some came for the appreciation of classical music, the symphony and the message of peace, many others in attendance came to support Brownlee.

“He happened to be one of my students at East High, where I was a school resource officer,” Michael Walker said. “It’s marvelous. It’s just an indication of what can happen with a child … we’re glad he’s following his dreams.”

Kathy Hammond also has a personal tie to Brownlee, saying she has known him since he was a child.

“I think he’s long overdue for performing in his hometown,” Hammond said.

Brownlee’s performance in Youngstown is something that has been a goal of the orchestra’s president Patricia Syak, said her assistant, Leslie Williams. For 15 to 20 years, Syak has been trying to get Brownlee to perform in Youngstown, but conflicting schedules made it difficult to bring him here. Starting over a year ago, the orchestra and Brownlee’s representatives were trying to iron out when he could come.

“This is probably one of the biggest accomplishments we’ve had in a while, having a local talent of that magnitude,” Williams said.

The groups drew crowds of people from all over Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Portage counties, as well as Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania.

One of the guests, however, came from New York to hear him sing.

Charlotte Allen was in Paris when she saw a CD bearing Brownlee’s face at The Palais Garnier. She decided to purchase it and looked up Bronwnlee on the internet to learn more about him. After finding out he was from Youngstown, her father’s hometown, she just had to see him perform.

“I had to see him. It was meant to be,” Allen said.

She also said she wanted to witness the respect he’s garnered in Paris, but see it in the States.

“There’s a lot of people that have come in from out of town and a lot of people who have connections with Larry,” Williams said.

The performance also featured speeches from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a fitting tribute as the performance also fell on the date of Bloody Sunday.

Bloody Sunday gets its name when a large group of civil rights marchers in Selma, Alabama were stopped by police officers and the interaction quickly turned violent.

Williams said the evening’s performance means something to the Youngstown community, saying the commemoration and honoring of those who put their lives on the line during the Civil Rights movement makes the event even more significant.