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Is the proskomedia service also optional?

No.

By opening hymn, I mean one of the so-called "paraliturgical hymns," many of which I think come from the Ruthenian tradition (at least, many of the melodies do). We sing it while the priest is incensing the icons and the church. This incensation takes place before he raises the Gospel book and intones "Blessed be the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son..."

The fact that you are asking the question makes me suspect that I am either using the wrong term for it, or that it is a latinization found in the ECCs, or in the Ruthenian Church in particular. I would like to know if that is the case. Are other ECCs using opening hymns? And what is the Orthodox practice?

As for incense, I've been under the impression that every liturgy should have incense. However, I don't actually know what the rubrics specify about this in the Ruthenian Church.

In the Ukrainian and Rusyn traditions it is custom to sing a popular hymnody unique to our tradition during the great incensation before the start of Divine Liturgy. Please see: http://www.carpatho-rusyn.org/spirit/songs.htm The Melkites sing the Great Doxology. If there is no incensation there is no need for a hymn to cover the action.

In Orthodox practice the Divine Liturgy is not served without a service immediately before it, during which the incensing of the church after the Proskomedia is done. In modern Greek practice, Orthros (Matins) is served immediately before the Liturgy, ending with the Great Doxology, just before the exclamation "Blessed is the Kingdom..." which begins the Divine Liturgy. In Russian practice, the Third and Sixth Hours immediately precede the Divine Liturgy.

Fr David Straut

Our unique hymnody is a great treasure, currently suppressed in the RDL. Even in English translation the hymns are wonderful. This is my favorite Eucharistic hymn:

Holy this moment
Joyous voices singing
Rising to the heavens
and your throne above

We sing of wondrous blessing
Our cup is overflowing
Our song will tell the world
JESUS IS LOVE

Ever reposing
on the Holy Altar
Chalice of redemption
for eternal bliss

Christ died to save all mankind
Heirs to the sin of Adam
His cross redeemed the just
from hell's abyss

Yes, that is he. We (my fellow retreatants and I) were very happy that he was willing to come to us. Out of the 20-some of us who were there, I think only 3 or 4 had ever attended any of the services of the Eastern Churches before, and I am the only Byzantine in the group anyway (several members have Melkite, Ukrainian or Maronite spiritual directors but they themselves are Latin Catholics). It was enjoyed by all (and no one noticed that the service was nearly 3 hours long, lol!).