I. Turgenev had the most close relations with the Alexandrinsky Theater. He had been a passionate theater-goer and never missed prominent theater premieres and debuts. His early plays were staged here. After that, creative cooperation between the writer and the theater had been interrupted for many years; the relations were resumed only in 1979, when M. Savina managed to “bring” his comedy “A Month in the Countryside,” where the great actress played the role of Verochka, to the stage. I. Turgenev was fascinated with M. Savina’s talent which brought the breath of life into his play. Turgenev and Savina got involved into a lively correspondence by mail. Several years later, in 1903, M. Savina played another Turgenev’s character in the “Month in the Countryside,” Natalya Petrovna. The history of creative and human communication between the great writer and the brilliant actress were put into the foundation of the Alexandrinsky performance “Elegy,” which was produced by director I. Olshwanger after P. Pavlovsky’s play. I. Turgenev was impersonated by an outstanding master of the Alexandrinsky Stage B. Freindlikh, and V. Panina played the role of m. Savina. The museum exhibit displays both the genuine costumes of M. Savina ans the costumes of B. Freindlikh and V. Panina from the performance “Elegy.”

A unique series of sketches by V. Dmitiryev made for another legendary Turgenev performance – staging of the “Noble Nest” novel – occupies an important place in the exhibit. This performance was produced by A. Musil in 1941; such theater coryphaeus as N. Simonov, N. Rashevskaya, V. Michurina-Samoilova, K. Skorobogatov were engaged in this performance…  

Costumes from Turgenev performances and objects characterizing the epoch in which Turgenev’s heroes lived and acted are displayed in the museum show-cases.