Gerard McBurney has observed that the work's resemblance to Mikhail Glinka's overture to his opera Ruslan and Lyudmila is evidence for its use as a model for Shostakovich. Altogether the Festive Overture lasts approximately 6 minutes.
Gerard McBurney has observed that Shostakovich's work shares similarities with Mikhail Glinka's overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila, suggesting its potential use as a model. The Festive Overture, lasting around 6 minutes, exemplifies this connection.