History and culture: Unique editions of the theatre life in Russian province of the XIX-XX centuries are presented at the exhibition in Saratov

November 19, 2015 in the Saratov Regional Museum is held a presentation of the exhibition "Theatre archive von Meves". The exhibition is dedicated to the scientific conference "The world of art and literature of the Saratov Volga region in the focus of historical and documentary heritage". It is organized by the Administrative Department of the Government of the Saratov region, the Institute of History and International Relations, the Saratov State University, the Saratov Regional Museum of Local History and the Saratov regional branch of the Russian Society of Historians and Archivists.   

In the Year of Literature Saratov residents first presented a part of a unique collection which came to the museum of local history of the N. G. Chernyshevsky Opera and Ballet Theatre in 70s of the XX century. It was registered under the working title "The Theatre Library von Meves".

The collection contains 2,714 objects and chronologically covers the period from the middle of the XIX century until the first half of the XX century. Conditionally it can be divided into two major parts. The first part includes "Theatre Library von Meves". This material from the middle of the XIX century to 1918, mainly - plays of various genres. The second part - publications, combined with theatrical theme and for the most part represented by magazines and pamphlets of 20-60s of the XX century. Many books have stamps of musical and dramatic theater companies, libraries, book warehouses of theatrical literature, bookplates, stamps, autographs playwrights, performers tagging. Subsequently library von Meves was combined with a library of the Saratov Society of Dramatic Arts and Music, the A. N. Ostrovsky Saratov Drama Society and the library of the Karl Marx First State Theater in Saratov. 

Library von Meves allows reproducing a picture of theatrical life in the Russian provinces abroad of the XIX - XX centuries.