Tenby Male Choir had a very 'different' engagement last Thursday. They gave a concert on board the MV 'Clipper Adventurer' moored at Fishguard, as part of a voyage 'exploring the Celtic Isles!'

Originally launched as the Russian 'Anna Tapacoba', named after a famous Russian actress, Alla Tarasova, she was built in Yugoslavia in 1975 for the Murmansk shipping company of the former Soviet Union. She was brought by the Clipper Cruise line in 1997.

Now a compact, beautifully furbished small cruise ship, the 'Clipper Adventurer' takes passengers on journeys all over the world. The voyage around the Celtic Isles began in Greenock on July 3 and ended in Dublin on Sunday. On board were 98 American passengers who had flown in to Greenock from all parts of the US.

The choir were singing in the 'lounge' which, with its deep-blue and red upholstery and carpet, its hidden lighting and mahogany tables, the bar in one corner, and grand piano near the entrances, looked glamorous and intimate. Grouped together, the choir looked large in such a setting, but they were much appreciated by the American audience, who were very vocal in their responses, and there were many cameras flashing and videos being taken throughout the choir's performance.

There was some swell on the sea, and this proved difficult for the MD who saw her choristers moving and swaying as she conducted them. She described this to the audience, commenting upon the men's swaying as 'not being self-induced.'

Beginning with a Welsh hymn, and moving through some of the choir's most popular repetoire, the audience were particularly pleased by certain numbers. Lots of cries of appreciation greeted the introduction of 'When the Saints' go marching in', and Eric Mullins's singing of 'If I were a rich man' engendered genuine excitement. The audience were much less reticent than British audiences are, and showed huge enjoyment at pieces of musicthey knew well. Dave Flanaghan singing 'Bring him home' from 'Les Miserables' was another winning piece.

The audience also loved 'Smoke gets in your eyes' and the G. and S. piece from 'Pirates of Penzance,' but the two final numbers, 'American Trilogy' and 'Shenandoah', were the favourites, ending in a standing ovation for the choir.

As the Welsh National Anthem struck up, the American audience did not understand what it was, until this reviewer and our coach driver Gareth stood. Then gradually, the whole salon of people stood and listened with rapt attention, applauding once more at the end.

As the ship was due to set sail at 11 pm, the choir had very little time to enjoy the hospitality provided, but Bob did a very good trade in tapes and CDs and several passengers described the evening as the 'best evening of the tour so far.'

Leaving Fishguard at about 10.45 pm, it was a late night home for most choristers, but a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

The choir's next indoor concert is on Tuesday, July 20, at St. Mary's Church at 8 pm. Meanwhile, weather permitting, the choir will be singing on the harbour on Thursday evenings for the next five weeks.

M.N.