As a member of The Texas Tenors, Waverly native John Hagen has played on some of the biggest stages with the most well-known orchestras, but having the opportunity to perform on the Neumann Auditorium stage with the Wartburg Community Symphony is an opportunity he will forever cherish.

“There are ties and connections that go back many years. I think it’s safe to say I am more excited about this than any of those other ones,” Hagen said. “It’s a real special thing to be able to do that.”

Stage and Screen: John Hagen in Concert, which kicks off the Wartburg Community Symphony’s 71st season, begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, on the Wartburg College campus. Soprano Bárbara Padilla, known for her unforgettable performances on “America’s Got Talent,” will join Hagen and the symphony for a few numbers.

The evening will include music from “The Magnificent Seven,” “Les Miserables,” “West Side Story,” “South Pacific” and more. Tickets start at $40 and can be purchased at wartburg.edu/symphony. Tickets also are available for a meet-and-greet reception with Hagen following the concert.

Hagen is internationally known for his operatic arias but has an eclectic collection of popular Broadway musical numbers and pop hits built into the repertoire for the Waverly concert.

“When John and I were planning this concert, I told him to select music that made his heart sing,” said Rebecca Nederhiser, Wartburg Community Symphony conductor. “We are excited to feature John and celebrate his family’s legacy.”

Proceeds from the reception will benefit the new Alan and Patricia Hagen Legacy Music Scholarship honoring his parents. The first scholarship recipient will be announced during the concert.

Hagen, who grew up in Waverly, made a name for himself as a member of the Texas Tenors, but it was his parents, Alan and Patricia, who fostered his love of music from a young age. Alan Hagen was a Waverly-Shell Rock schools choral director, and Patricia was a private piano and vocal teacher, vocal coach and accompanist.

The Texas Tenors skyrocketed to fame in 2009 after appearing on “America’s Got Talent.” Since then, the trio has released five studio albums, two PBS specials and even a children’s book, but Hagen firmly remembers his roots.

“To still be able to pick up the phone and call people or say, ‘Hey, I’m going to be in town. Let’s have a cup of coffee.’ It’s just a wonderful place, wonderful place to grow up, a wonderful place to come back to,” Hagen said.