seen to best advantage in the Persian Chorus that opens act 3, where the tune remains intact through five statements while the orchestral background is changed completely on each repetition. Along with its counterpart A Life for the Tsar, this second opera by Glinka confirmed a Russian national operatic foundation that was to be built upon by the next generation of Russian composers. In particular, Ruslan served as the model for Russian operatic fairy tales, particularly those of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Recordings 1938: Samuil Samosud (conductor), Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Chorus, Maksim Mikhaylov (Svetozar), Valeria Barsova (Lyudmila), Mark Reizen (Ruslan), Yelizaveta Antonova (Ratmir), Vasiliy Lubenchov (Farlaf), Yelena Slivinskaya (Gorislava), Nikander Khanayev (Finn), Lyudmila Stavrovskaya (Naina), Solomon Khromchenko (Bayan). 1952: Kirill Kondrashin (conductor), Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Chorus, Vladimir Gavriushov (Svetozar), Vera Firsova (Lyudmila), Ivan Petrov (Ruslan), Eugenia Verbitskaya (Ratmir), Alexei Krivchenya (Farlaf), Nina Pokrovskaya (Gorislava), Georgi Nelepp (Finn), Elena Korneyeva (Naina), Sergei Lemeshev (Bayan). 1979: Yuri Simonov (conductor), Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra and Chorus, Valeri Yaroslavtsev (Svetozar), Bela Rudenko (Lyudmila), Evgeny Nesterenko (Ruslan), Tamara Sinyavskaya (Ratmir), Boris Morozov (Farlaf), Nina Fomina (Gorislava), Aleksei Maslennikov (Finn), Galina Borisova (Naina), Alexander Arkhipov (Bayan). 1995: (DVD) Valery Gergiev (conductor), Kirov Orchestra, Opera Chorus and Ballet, St. Petersburg, in association with San Francisco Opera, Mikhail Kit (Svetozar), Anna Netrebko (Lyudmila), Vladimir Ognovenko (Ruslan), Larissa Diadkova (Ratmir), Gennady Bezzubenkov (Farlaf), Galina Gorchakova (Gorislava), Konstantin Pluzhnikov (Finn), Irena Bogachova (Naina), Yuri Marusin (Bayan). 2011: (DVD) Vladimir Jurowski (conductor), Orchestra and Choir of the Bolshoi Theatre, Albina Shagimuratova (Lyudmila), Mikhail Petrenko (Ruslan), Yuriy Mynenko (Ratmir), Almas Svilpa (Farlaf), Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Gorislava), (Finn/Bayan), Vladimir Ognovenko (Svetozar), Elena Zaremba (Naina). In popular culture The 1992 video game Tetris Classic incorporated the opera's overture as its title theme, and arranged selections of the opera are featured throughout the game. The overture was also used as the theme tune for the TV series Mom, the children's TV series Oscar's Orchestra, and the BBC Radio 4 sitcom Cabin Pressure. References Notes Further reading Taruskin, Richard, "Ruslan and Lyudmila", The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, edited by Stanley Sadie External links Operas by Mikhail Glinka Operas based on works by Aleksandr Pushkin Russian-language operas 1842 operas Operas Kievan Rus in fiction Opera world premieres at the Bolshoi Theatre, Saint Petersburg