A Life for the Tsar also known as "Ivan Susanin", is a patriotic-heroic tragic opera in four acts with an epilogue by Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka (Russian Classical Music Composer). The historical basis of the plot involves Ivan Susanin, a patriotic hero of the early 17th century. Photo Shows: a scene from the first act, in the foreground (left) People's Artist of the USSR A. Pirogev as Susanin, G. Bolshakov as Sobinin and Distinguished Artist of the USSR g. Zhukovskaya as Antonida. Rehearsal at Leningrad Maly Opera theatre. 1939 Supplied By: SCRSS - Society for Co-operation in Russian & Soviet Studies.