Student protesters at Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying's residence on The Peak on Sunday may have wondered why the lights were out.
Leung and his wife were in fact among a host of mainland and Hong Kong officials at the Grand Theatre of the Cultural Centre in Kowloon attending , an annual gala concert celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Presented by the Ministry of Culture and into its 13th year, the variety show also had a National Day theme. It was the last of three local performances by the China Central National Orchestra and was broadcast live on the mainland.
Led by maestro Chen Xieyang, virtuosos such as Yu Hongmei, Jiang Kemei, Song Fei and Zhao Cong stunned the full house with their performance.
Leung met the artists during the intermission and told them he would miss the second half to be with his daughter, who would be departing for school in Britain. His remarks were applauded by Zeng Qinghuai, honorary president of locally based show organiser China Cultural City Limited and the younger brother of former vice-president Zeng Qinghong.
Other honourable guests included Culture Vice-Minister Zhao Shaohua; central government liaison office deputy director Li Gang; Ma Fung-kwok, a legislator from the cultural constituency; and former Legislative Council president Tsang Yok-sing.
