Tags: Venue.
Originally conceived on April 21 1950 as a not-for-profit theatrical organization the Springfield Municipal Opera Association transformed a 55-acre (220000 m2) wheat field into an outdoor amphitheater. On June 17 1950 nearly 3000 people viewed the opening night performance of its first production The Merry Widow.The Muni flourished until a series of setbacks in the mid-1950s and a major fire in 1963 destroyed part of the facilities.