Planets in the Event House

I was disappointed to see that Chris Pasles’ review of the Pacific Symphony’s recent concert (“Universal Language of ‘Planets’ Enhances Pictures,” Jan. 7) did not note the blatant errors in the visual portion of the presentation.

For each Holst piece of “The Planets,” a title screen was represented. What was shown for Venus was actually a Voyager picture of Neptune, and in the case of Uranus, a polar ice-capped Mars was featured. Perhaps director Marc Jacobs thought he could get away with “artistic license,” but in this scientific age, with the true images of the planets well known, I find it inexcusable.

JULIE E. BIXBY

Mission Viejo

Marc Jacobs responds: I am sorry that Ms. Bixby’s enjoyment of “The Planets” was impaired by the two inaccuracies she cited. The substitution of other images for Venus and Uranus were not arbitrary on my part but made for aesthetic reasons.

The pictures that were available to me of Venus did not present the planet as it is imagined by Holst (“Venus, the Bringer of Peace”). The image that I used under that title, a soft blue orb, would have fit the way that planet was pictured in Holst’s day, when it was known as “the Blue Star.”

The picture I needed for Uranus had to express the mystery inherent in the title “Uranus, the Magician.” None of the shots I found of Uranus matched the picture I finally used of what appeared to be a planet shrouded in smoke.

I must stress that my version of “The Planets” was never intended to be an astronomy lesson, but an accompaniment to and interpretation of Holst’s music, which, as I see it, explores the astrological effects of the planets on our lives.

Holst’s view of the universe was not the photographic one we now enjoy in this scientific age. It was my intent to visualize his work, and, as a director, I did make use of “artistic license” in these two cases, in which I felt I had to go with the images I felt best reflected his music.