A world premiere took place Sept. 27 in Asheville, but few people witnessed it.

The show, “The Many Moods of McCartney,” highlighting the work — via classical music — of Sir Paul McCartney (formerly of The Beatles), played to only half a house at the 2,300-seat Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.

Those who did attend heard two classic McCartney  pieces, “Nova” and “Tuesday.” Both were played by members of the Asheville Symphony under the direction of Daniel Meyer, and both were rich, romantic and enjoyable.

An American premiere of a McCartney piano composition called “Leaf” was performed without sheet music by a stunningly beautiful pianist, Yongmei Hu from Shanghai, China. She made her instrument conjure visions of a leaf rustling in the wind.

Drawing a bigger response from the crowd was the work of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Little Anthony Gourdine. With 56 years in show business under his belt, Little Anthony, in his trademark high falsetto, sang his hits from the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, including “Tears on My Pillow” and “Going Out of My Head.” 

He also sang “A World Without Love,” written by John Lennon and McCartney in 1964, back in the days the two collaborated. Most experts contend the duo wrote — for the most part —  separately in the final years of the band’s existence.

If that’s the case, it was a bevy of strictly McCartney tunes that pianists Roger Kellaway and Peter Betts played as they faced each other behind their keyboards. With a jazz inflection, the two played fragments of “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Got to Get You Into My Life.” The show was produced by Kellaway who is a Grammy Award-winner.

Also appearing was vocalist Bobby Caldwell who crooned well on the ‘40s standard, “Come Rain or Shine,” but butchered McCartney’s “Blackbird” by starting to sing before the acoustic guitar introduction was completed.

Playing the guitar was Dennis D’Amingo, the show’s producer. He brought the show here from New York, based on a recommendation of a friend who lives here. “I came to town to check it out and I liked it. Daniel Meyer (ASO music director) has been a pleasure to work with,” D’Amingo said.

As for Paul McCartney, at age 72, he is still at work — currently on tour, playing nearly 40 songs a show. He looked and sounded spry on national TV on January’s  televised commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’s first appearance on the “The Ed Sullivan Show.”

McCartney’s Asheville tribute show, which ran for two hours, was a fundraiser for the Manna Food Bank, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservatory, the Asheville City Schools Foundation and the ASO.