Deep Space 9

It’s no wonder astronomy is the layman’s entrée into science. From Star Wars to moon landings to tabloid UFO sightings, we’ve revealed a perpetual fascination with outer space — even though interference from city lights prevents most of us from seeing beyond Orion’s belt or the Big Dipper. Sunday, October 14 (4 p.m.) and Tuesday, October 16 (7:30 p.m.), California Symphony will present Reaching the Outer Limits, a live musical interpretation of Gustav Holst’s seven-part HD video suite, The Planets. Less a science documentary than a montage of hypnotic images — i.e., planets floating with slow-motion exquisiteness through a dark void — the video was conceived by Jose Francisco Salgado, a trained physicist and classical music buff who enjoys finding interfaces between science and art. The program will culminate with a special performance by violinist Roy Malan, playing the West Coast premiere of Efrem Zimbalist’s Phantasy for Violin and Orchestra on Rimsky-Korsakov’s Le Coq d’Or and Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. A Q&A with the astronomers will follow. Reaching Outer Limits will take place in the Hofmann Theatre at Dean Lesher Center for the Arts. Tickets cost $39-$59. Call 925-943-SHOW or visit DLRCA.org