To the left of the entrance to Alexandrovsky Park, in the center of one of the squares, stands the Chinese Theatre, or Stone Opera, as it was called during the reign of Empress Catherine II. Originally, it was planned to arrange an "open-air theatre" on this site, that is, a theatre under the open sky with turf benches.

The theatre project was developed by architect Rinaldi, and its construction in 1778-1779 was overseen by Neelov, who made significant changes to the original design. The structure had quite European features; the architectural forms and exterior decoration of the theatre were relatively simple: white walls were adorned with pilasters, a wide cornice, and narrow door and window casings. The cornice, probably destroyed during 19th-century repairs, had a complex pattern and was multicolored, and only the high roof with corners curved "in the Chinese style" and the pointed shape of the windows and doors revealed the architect's desire to create an exotic building.

The interior decoration of the Chinese Theatre was lavish. The central box, the stage portal, and the ceiling were all decorated with figures of Chinese people, dragons, shields with zodiac signs, and other elements of Eastern decor. The Chinese theme continued inside with a golden silk curtain featuring scenes from the life of the Celestial Empire, as well as a collection of imported decorative and applied arts. The boxes were richly decorated with colored cardboard details, with shiny foil serving as their background. Figures of Chinese people, dragons, and zodiac signs were used in the decoration of the ceiling, stage, and boxes. The interior was enlivened by bells, beads, pendants carved from wood, brightly painted, silvered, and gilded. The box decorations were made from painted cardboard backed with shiny foil. In the central imperial box and the two side grand ducal boxes were genuine works of Chinese art: decorative lacquer panels, porcelain, and furniture. In 1779, the famous decorative artist I. Krist painted an orange silk curtain with scenes and landscapes in a "Chinese style."

On June 13, 1779, the first performance took place on the stage of the Chinese Theatre. Composer D. Paisiello presented the opera "Dmitry Artaxerxes" to Catherine II. On August 16, his opera "The Chinese Idol" was performed. Performances continued in the summers of 1780 and 1781. Under Catherine II, the summer seasons at the Chinese Theatre were extraordinarily rich. In the 19th century, the theatre fell into a lull; only occasionally did Emperor Nicholas I's court attend performances by visiting actors. For example, in the summer of 1830, Rossini's opera "The Barber of Seville" was performed featuring the famous German singer Sontag.

The theatre revived again at the end of the 19th century: in 1892, Leo Tolstoy's play "The Fruits of Enlightenment" was staged here for the first time, and in 1893, students of the Nikolaev Gymnasium performed Sophocles' tragedy "Oedipus Rex." In 1902, in connection with the visit of the French president Loubet to Russia, a grand performance was staged in the theatre, for which electric lighting was installed in the building. In the early 1900s, a troupe of guard officers, including Grand Duke Konstantin Konstantinovich, performed Schiller's "The Bride of Messina" and Rostand's "The Princess of Trebizond" on the Chinese Theatre stage. The famous parody theatre "Crooked Mirror" performed here specially for Emperor Nicholas II.

In 1908–1909, under the direction of the court architect Danini, a major renovation of the building was carried out. The 18th-century stage was modernized with the latest technology to accommodate large opera and ballet productions. The improved heating system allowed the summer theatre to be used year-round. In 1914, with the outbreak of World War I, the activities of the Chinese Theatre were suspended for a long time; performances resumed only in the summer of 1930.

On September 15, 1941, during the shelling of the city of Pushkin, the unique structure was completely burned out inside and left without a roof.

Since 2017, preliminary design work has been underway to restore the building's exterior appearance. A full restoration of the interior decoration is not planned; instead, it has been proposed to house a depository (storage and exhibition) of museum collections and a hall for mass events (concerts, lectures, etc.)

Sources:

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Theatre_(Tsarskoye_Selo)

https://www.tzar.ru/objects/alexandrovskypark/newgarden/teatr