The story presents themes of cultural futility – both the futile attempts of the aristocracy to maintain its status and of the bourgeoisie to find meaning in its newfound materialism. While presented with options to save the estate, the family essentially does nothing and the play ends with the sale of the estate to the son of a former serf the family leaves to the sound of the cherry orchard being cut down. The play concerns an aristocratic Russian woman and her family as they return to their family estate (which includes a large and well-known cherry orchard) just before it is auctioned to pay the mortgage. Since this initial production, directors have had to contend with the dual nature of the play. Although Chekhov intended it as a comedy, and it does contain some elements of farce, Stanislavski insisted on directing the play as a tragedy. It opened at the Moscow Art Theatre on 17 January 1904 in a production directed by Constantin Stanislavski. The Cherry Orchard (Вишнëвый сад or Vishnevyi sad in Russian) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov.
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