In May 2016, the summer season opened at 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 the Exhibition of Economic Achievements “Green Theater” was built in 1939, according to the project of architect Boris Efimovich. At first, the theater, like the exhibition itself, promoting the victory of the socialist system, was built as a temporary structure, therefore it was completely wooden and was located not far from the All-Russian Exhibition of Artists and Ostankino Park. From this, he literally drowned in greenery and immediately got its name.
The second life of the theater
During the Great Patriotic War, the theater was closed together with the exhibition and only five years later it was decided to reconstruct it.
The architect was given the task: to turn the theater into a real temple of art, striking in its monumentality and at the same time make it so that it is close to the people. Work began already in 1950 under the leadership of the same Boris Efimovich. The building, located at VDNH, "Green Theater", the architect completely rebuilt, and it became more spacious and majestic.
The team of workers and engineers began with the fact that the towers located on the sides of the stage were increased in size, built up the upper floor, a semicircular pantheon was erected from the back facade, and an elegant colonnade was built behind the stage. Boris Efimovich did his best, 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 VDNH in August 1954. The songs of Soviet composers, the Solemn Overture by composer Glier, written for the opening of the exhibition of agricultural achievements, the Song Suite by Muradeli and so on sounded on stage.
In the summer season, the success of performing artists was guaranteed, after visiting various exhibitions, people rushed to relax culturally in the shade of trees and listen to a good performance. Posters lured visitors who became grateful spectators. This platform for speakers was considered the happiest.
Pop art in the theater
The year 1961 becomes the most significant and happy for the theater, drowning in greenery. For the first time, an unusual All-Union Creative Workshop of Pop Art (VTMEI), whose main leader is Leonid Maslyukov, begins to operate on its basis. The graduates of the workshop are (today mega-popular artists) Leontiev, Bogatyrev, Petrosyan, Polishchuk, Marusev, step-brothers Sazonov, who are recognized by the whole world and other pop stars.
Teachers of young performers of various genres of pop art are Claudia Shulzhenko, Leonid Utesov. For performers prepared numbers and even entire programs. In addition to graduates, Yosif Kobzon, Arkady Raikin, Lyudmila Zykina performed on the stage of the theater. This was the heyday of pop at VDNH. The Green Theater became the place where the Moscow elite gathered in the summer.
The decline and prosperity of the theater
Starting from the 80s, the Green Theater gradually fell into decay and completely closed in the 90s of the last century, when they stopped financing it. Prior to the third reconstruction, the theater was in disrepair.
In 2014, repair work began at the Exhibition of Economic Achievements, respectively, and the open-air theater waited for its finest hour. Firstly, the facade of the theater was returned to its original ivory color, before that it was painted in light green, apparently in order to harmonize with the name. They restored the scene, which was equipped with modern technology, restored the elements of stucco decoration.
In the amphitheater put new seats for the audience 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. The hall has a staircase that leads to the roof of one of the towers. From the roof you can see the pavilion built nearby, 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 is surrounded by greenery and resembles the relatively carefree Soviet era for many people.
VDNH "Green Theater": where is it located?
Moscow is a hospitable city and there are always a lot of 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, Boris Grebenshchikov, Yuri Bashmet, Jivan Gasparyan and other famous performers performed on stage. From this article you can find out where the Green Theater VDNH is located. The address is as follows: VDNH, Prospekt Mira, 119.
On May 9, 2016, the theater reopened the season with war songs performed by People's Artist of Russia Dmitry Hvorostovsky. In addition to him, Fabio Mastrangelo, Dmitry Kharatyan, Daniil Kozlovsky, Leonid Agutin and other stars of the first magnitude took part in the concert.
To the question of an interested person: “Where is VDNH,“ Green Theater, how to get and get to the concert ”, in addition to the above address, you can add that you need to take the metro to the VDNH stop, the first car from the center leads to VDNH. And there are also routes of a trolleybus (14, 48, 76), a tram (11, 17) and a bus (33, 56, 76 and others).