VDNH "The Green Theater": the third life of the open air stage

In May 2016, the summer season opened in the "Green Theater", located on the territory of VDNH. The history of the creation of this structure begins in Soviet times. For the first time at VDNKh "Green Theater" was built in 1939, according to the project of architect Boris Efimovich. Initially, the theater, as well as the exhibition itself, propagandizing the victory of the socialist system, was built as a temporary structure, therefore it was completely wooden and was located near the VSVH and Ostankino Park. From this, he literally drowned in greenery and immediately got his name.

The second life of the theater

During the Great Patriotic War the theater was closed with the exhibition and only five years later it was decided to reconstruct it.

The architect set the task: to turn the theater into a real temple of art, striking with its monumentality and at the same time making it close to the people. Work began already in 1950 under the leadership of the same Boris Yefimovich. The building, located at VDNH, the "Green Theater", the architect completely rebuilt, and it became more spacious and majestic.

A brigade of workers and engineers began with the fact that the towers on the sides of the stage were enlarged in size, the top floor was built up, a semicircular pantheon was erected from the rear facade, and an elegant colonnade was built behind the stage. Boris Efimovich tried to glory, and now on the stage can accommodate up to 350 people.

The opening of the "Green Theater"

For the first time after the war, the "Green Theater" opened at VDNKh in August 1954. Songs of Soviet composers, "Glorious Overture" by composer Gliere, written for the opening of the exhibition of agricultural achievements, "Song Suite" by Muradeli and so on were heard on stage.

In the summer season, the success of the performing artists was guaranteed, after visiting various exhibitions people hurriedly to relax in the shade of trees and listen to a good performance. The posters enticed the visitors, who became grateful spectators. This platform for speakers was considered the happiest.

Variety art in the theater

1961 becomes the most significant and happy for the theater, drowning in greenery. For the first time on its basis an unusual All-Union creative workshop of pop art (VTMEI), whose main head is Leonid Maslyukov, begins to function. The graduates of the workshop are (for today megapopular artists) Leontiev, Bogatyrev, Petrosyan, Polishchuk, Marusev, steppe brothers Sazonovs, recognized by the whole world and other pop stars.

Teachers of young performers of various genres of variety art become Claudia Shulzhenko, Leonid Utesov. For the performers, numbers and even whole programs were prepared. In addition to graduates, Yosif Kobzon, Arkady Raikin, Lyudmila Zykina acted on the stage of the theater. It was the flowering of the stage at VDNKh. The "Green Theater" became the place where the Moscow beau monde gathered during the summer.

The decline and flowering of the theater

Since the 1980s, the "Green Theater" has gradually fallen into decay and completely closed in the 1990s, when it stopped financing it. Before the third reconstruction the theater was in an emergency condition.

In 2014, repairs began at the Exhibition of Economic Achievements, respectively, and the open-air theater waited for its high point. First, the facade of the theater was returned to its original ivory color, before that it was painted in light green, apparently to blend in with the name. Restored the scene, which was equipped with modern technology, restored the elements of the stucco decor.

In the amphitheater there were new seats for spectators in the form of wooden benches. Inside the building there is a rehearsal room with a low bench and a "goat" through which Soviet children jumped in a physical education lesson. In the hall there is a staircase leading to the roof of one of the towers. From the roof you can see a pavilion built next to it, reflecting the vegetable growing and fruit growing of the country. The stage of the open theater is located opposite the Ostankino park, so that everything around is buried in greenery and reminds of a relatively light-hearted Soviet time for many people.

VDNKh "Green Theater": where is it?

Moscow is a hospitable city and there are always many visitors from near and far abroad. Everyone who is interested in the exhibition of national achievements, can set up their navigators and easily find this place. Already in 2015, the theaters were performed by Boris Grebenshchikov, Yuri Bashmet, Djivan Gasparyan and other famous performers. From this article you can find out where the VDNH "Green Theater" is located. The address is as follows: VDNH, Prospekt Mira, 119.

On May 9, 2016, the theater again opened the season with military songs performed by People's Artist of Russia Dmitri Hvorostovsky. In addition to him, Fabio Mastrangelo, Dmitry Kharatyan, Daniel Kozlovsky, Leonid Agutin and other first-magnitude stars took part in the concert.

When asked by an interested person: "Where is VDNH," Green Theater ", how to get to the concert," in addition to the above address, you can add that on the metro you need to get to the stop "VDNH", the first car from the center leads to VDNH. And also there are trolleybus routes (14, 48, 76), tram (11, 17) and bus (33, 56, 76 and others).