Tenors Un LimitedFriday, February 3 at the Fairmont Southampton

In the middle of the first act of Friday evening’s concert, the fire alarm unexpectedly went off in the Mid-Ocean Amphitheatre.

With buzzing sounds and flashing lights going, it is commendable that the performers kept their collective cool and soldiered on, improvising and wisecracking to fill the interruption in hope that the crisis would soon be over.

Then came Johnny Woolridge’s opening chords of Proud to be Bermudian. No irony was intended I am sure, but still some might have been taken. The audience joined in on cue; the anxiety relieved and the show went on.

The evening had begun normally enough, with the tenors singing Viva la Vita, followed by Verdi’s La Donna e Mobile. In swift succession we were offered Granada, Bizet’s Pearl Fishers duet and Senza di te. By this time the noise of the alarm had stopped. In this eclectic programme we heard La Mer and its English counterpart, Beyond The Sea.

The newly constituted Bermuda Festival Chorus singers joined the tenors onstage to sing Brand New Day and that favourite: You Lift Me Up.

The second half began with an earnest apology and promise from the manager that there would be no reoccurrence of the first half’s fiasco.

Outstanding items from this section included Barcelona, and Sondheim’s Being Alive, to some stellar accompaniment on the piano by Woolridge. Babastro’s star turn from The Magic Flute revealed a bass baritone masquerading as a tenor.

We heard Leslie Bricusse’s Who Can I Turn To? and Mancini’s evergreen Moon River.

The festival chorus reappeared to help with Nessun Dorma, an item it seems no programme pretending to the operatic can do without. Then the trio finished with Time to Say Goodbye and Rossini’s Largo al Factotum.

The interruption earlier in the evening was forgotten, maybe even forgiven. The appearance of so many Bermudians on stage performing so well was heartening. Woolridge made us proud and did himself a lot of good, so did chorus conductor Kent Hayward.

The electronic accompaniment was often off-putting, but what realistic alternative was there? The number of folk applauding on their feet gave an indication of how well received the tenors were.

• For the full list of Festival shows visit: bermudafestival.org.