My First Experience at the Koschei Show

I came across an ad for the Koschei New Year's show at Moscow Aquarium on VK in early January, and I was immediately hooked after watching a video made up of clips from the program.

I headed to the aquarium's website to buy tickets. I found out that the January holidays had the show running every day at 11:00, 14:30, and 18:00, with different price ranges from 1,500 to 9,000 rubles. After the New Year's holidays, the show ran on Saturdays and Sundays, with lower ticket prices. I picked a spot near the center of the hall on the upper level and bought a ticket for 14:30, which cost me 3,500 rubles. It wasn't cheap, but it's okay to treat yourself during the holidays.

Moscow Aquarium is located on VDNH territory, so I decided to arrive early and take a stroll around, check out the New Year's decorations, and then head to the show. Sounds like a great plan, but there was a 'but' - there was a heavy snowfall in Moscow and the surrounding areas, making it a mess. I went out, and it was a real challenge to get around. The sidewalks hadn't been cleaned, or they'd been cleaned, but it snowed again. Luckily, I was wearing high boots, which helped me make it to the train station and take a warm train to Moscow. In Moscow, there weren't any problems with the snow, or I just wasn't there.

The VDNH area was filled with a wonderful New Year's atmosphere, especially in the evening. The colorful lights and decorations were mesmerizing, giving the place a magical look. A stroll around the territory turned into real magic.

New Year's VDNHBy 14:00, I arrived at the Moscow Aquarium. There's a beautifully decorated Christmas tree in front of it. The line for the show was separate, but there weren't that many people.

Moscow AquariumMoscow AquariumNear the Moscow Aquarium Once I was inside, I found myself in a souvenir shop. There were soft toys and souvenirs all around. I passed by, and saw a cloakroom. There were a lot of people, all rushing around. I made my way to the very end of the cloakroom (it's quite long), and there was no commotion at all. There were no lines either. I changed and handed over my belongings. I left my paltov (just in case it might be chilly in the auditorium). The hall is on a higher floor. I went up to the second floor and saw that there's a cloakroom, cafes, and a souvenir shop there too. I didn't eat, but I did grab a coffee on my way to VDNH. Moskvarium Moskvarium Moskvarium I made my way up to the third floor, and there's another shop with souvenirs, a photo zone, a bathroom with a huge line (the line on the first floor is way shorter), and the doors to the exhibit hall. The exhibit hall doors have the sector name written on them. I went looking for the right door. The area's not that big, so it's easy to get around. There are also plenty of staff members happy to help. Since I had some time, I decided to check out the souvenir shop first. Souvenir shop Souvenir shop View from the window Photo zone Photo zone I stood by the right door. There weren't any seats provided for people waiting in line. Ten minutes before the show started, the doors opened, and two staff members came out. They started checking tickets, giving out information on how to get to your seat, and letting people in.

The atmosphere in the exhibit hall was electric - like something magical was about to happen. I quickly found my seat, following the signs on the floor and stairs. I sat down and started taking in the scene and decorations. The scene was set up like a castle, with blue lights and soft music playing.

Enchanted water show 'Koschei' The show started ten minutes late. The main character of the show, Koschei, came out on stage and began telling the story.

Fairy Tale Water Show 'Koschei'I was a bit skeptical about the storyline at first, but it grew on me. It's about a school for villains where they teach all sorts of evil tricks. Famous graduates include Koschei, Baba Yaga, Water, and Zmey Gorynych. They come up with a plan to kidnap Father Frost and leave everyone without a new year's celebration and gifts. It's their biggest evil deed yet. But, of course, things don't go as planned... The main heroes from the 'Good' school (Snegurochka) and the 'Evil' school (Koschei) team up to rescue the kidnapped Father Frost. Along the way, they face obstacles like running into Zmey Gorynych, Water, and Baba Yaga's tricks. And, as expected, there's romance between the main characters. In the end, the evil Koschei does a good deed for Snegurochka, almost losing his life in the process. The ending was great - the whole audience was asking Snegurochka to kiss Koschei, which brought him out of his eternal sleep.

The storyline is a bit (or a lot) weird, but why not? It's a new year's fairy tale with familiar characters in a modern twist. There were plenty of jokes and laughter. The whole audience was in stitches, and the kids were screaming in response to the actors' questions. The actors' performance was top-notch. Koschei was charismatic and talkative, hardly ever stopping to catch his breath.

Fairy Tale Water Show 'Koschei'

The 'villains' were all dressed in green, while the 'good guys' (Father Frost, Snegurochka, and the elves) wore red, making it easy to tell them apart from a distance. The actors' costumes were beautiful, with unique elements that I wanted to take a closer look at.

Fairy Tale Water Show 'Koschei'There were also actors walking around the stage. On the photo, it's the hut on hen's legs😁 Fairy Tale Water Show 'Koschei'The decorations were amazing. The background on stage changed frequently. Heads with Gorynych's faces would drop down, a sleigh would fly by, and near the end of the show, they even released soap bubbles from above and turned on a waterfall.

Fairy Tale Water Show 'Koschei' Fairy Tale Water Show 'Koschei'There were also acrobats involved in the show. They served as a sort of backup dance troupe during the songs. Some were jumping into the water, others were above the ceiling, and a few were swimming and performing choreographed moves. The whole spectacle was beautiful and unique👍

Enchanted Water Show 'Koschei' Enchanted Water Show 'Koschei' Enchanted Water Show 'Koschei' And, of course, the animals were a real treat. I saw seals, walruses, seals, dolphins, and a sea otter. There weren't too many animals, but they were enough to make a great impression!

Enchanted Water Show 'Koschei' Enchanted Water Show 'Koschei' When I realized the show was over, I quickly got up and headed out while the crowd flooded the hallways and stairs. And the bathrooms! I almost forgot to mention, the show lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes. I also forgot to say that the hall was warm, so my scarf wasn't needed after all.I left the Moscow Aquarium, but the VDNH was a whole different story. The light installations were a stunning sight, especially as the sun set. If you want to read my review of the VDNH, you can check it out here.

New Year's VDNH I highly recommend the show!

I had a fantastic time at the New Year's show 'Koschei.' The organizers really outdid themselves, creating a magical atmosphere. The actors performed flawlessly, showcasing their skills. The water acts were particularly impressive, as were the costumes and dialogue between the actors. The music added to the overall experience, making each moment unforgettable. I left with some amazing photos and memories.

Thanks for reading!