Born in St. Petersburg.
In 1919 he graduated from the Petrograd Ballet College (class of Vladimir Ponomarev). In 1919 - 1938 he was an artist of the Kirov State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre Ballet Company in St. Petersburg (since 1930 he had also worked as a choreographer).
Performed character parts: Arap ("Petrushka" by I. Stravinsky, choreography by M. Fokine), Puss in Boots ("The Sleeping Beauty" by P. Tchaikovsky and choreography by M. Petipa), Clown ("The Fairy of the Dolls" by J. Bayer, in choreography by N. and C. Legatov).
At the stage of the Kirov State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre in St. Petersburg Vainonen staged the ballets: "Golden Age" by Shostakovich (I and III acts - in cooperation with L. Jacobson and B. Chesnakov), "Flames of Paris" by B. Asafiev (Vainonen was awarded the State Prize of the USSR), "The Nutcracker" by P. Tchaikovsky, "Raymonda" by А. Glazunov and others.
Also staged dances in new productions of operas "Slippers" by P. Tchaikovsky, "The Tsar's Bride" by N. Rimsky-Korsakov, "La Traviata" by G. Verdi, "The Bartered Bride" by B. Smetana (for staging dances he was awarded the State Prize of the USSR), "Demon" by A. Rubinstein, "The Snow Maiden" by N. Rimsky-Korsakov
In 1949 he staged the ballet "Mirandolina" by S. Vasilenko (based on the comedy "Hostess" by C. Goldoni, the first performer of the title role - Olga Lepeshinskaya).
Extremely famous all over the world became his production of "The Nutcracker".