Glinka's Ruslan and Lyudmila

Glinka's operatic fable Ruslan and Lyudmila, inspired by a Pushkin poem, is emblematic of the Russian opera tradition. Since its premiere in 1842, the work has been performed more than 700 times at the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre, in nine different productions. This opulent and provocative rendering by iconoclastic stage director Dmitri Tcherniakov opened the 2011-12 season, the first full staging following an extensive six-year renovation of the historic venue that cost over half a billion dollars, featuring scenery "even more dazzling than the refurbished theatre itself" (Financial Times).

Tcherniakov transposes Glinka to the 21st century, accentuating "the modernity of the subject" and inviting the audience to identify with the onstage characters. New acoustic and technological upgrades—including two giant screens for high-definition projection—are on full display, complementing Vladimir Jurowski's faultless rapport with the Bolshoi Orchestra and a truly top-notch cast that includes Albina Shagimuratova, Mikhail Petrenko, Alexandrina Pendatchanska, Charles Workman, and Elena Zaremba.

After choosing Ruslan (Petrenko) over suitors Ratmir (Yuriy Mynenko) and Farlof (Almas Svilpa), Lyudmila (Shagimuratova)—daughter of the Svetozar, the Great Prince of Kiev—is kidnapped. Svetozar promises fortune—and Lyudmila's hand—to the one who can find and return her, and the three suitors set out on a rescue mission that will bring them to faraway lands...