The Summer Theatre, woodcut

The Summer Theatre. The wooden building of the theatre was built in 1870 in Saski Garden – it served artists and spectators when the Variety Theatre closed due to hot weather. The auditorium could sit 1000 people, the theatre’s characteristic feature was its perfect acoustics and a spacious stage. In 1890 the building was adapted for all-year-round use. It featured a light repertoire – its opening performance was Offenbach’s "La belle Hélène". An important detail – the theatre’s walls were built from small planks which functioned like blinds: were placed on bars and overlapped. When needed, the “blinds” were opened and the theatre had full ventilation. Such construction allowed theatregoers without tickets to enjoy the show, at least its auditory aspect. The wooden, temporary construction survived nearly 70 years. The theatre burnt down at the beginning of World War II, in September 1939.