'ete" (1850), "Raymond" (1851), "Psyche" (1857), and "Mignon"
(1866). During this period he also wrote a large number of cantatas,
choruses, part-songs, and instrumental works. His next great work was
"Hamlet," first produced March 9, 1868, the success of which gained
him the position of Director of the Conservatory in 1871. Since that
time he has written only the opera "Francoise de Rimini," performed
April 14, 1882. In 1880 he was made a member of the Legion of Honor.
In common with Gounod he now shares the honor of being one of the few
French writers who hold a high rank among modern composers.

MIGNON

"Mignon," an opera comique in three acts, words by Barbier and Carre,
the subject taken from Goethe's "Wilhelm Meister," was first produced
at the Opera Comique, Paris, Nov. 17, 1866, with the following cast:--

MIGNON Mme. GALLI-MARIE.
WILHELM MEISTER M. ACHARD.
LAERTES M. CONDERS.
LOTARIO M. BATAILLE.
FILINA Mme. CABEL.

The scene of the first two acts is laid in Germany, and of the third
in Italy. Mignon, the heroine, in her childhood was stolen by gypsies.
She is of noble birth. The mother died shortly after her bereavement,
and the father, disguised as the harper Lotario, has wandered for
years in quest of his daughter. The opera opens in the yard of a
German inn, where a troupe of actors, among them Filina and Laertes,
are resting, on their way to the castle of a neighboring prince, where
they are to give a performance.

A strolling gypsy band arrives about the same time, and stops to give
an entertainment to the guests. Mignon, who is with the band, is
ordered to perform the egg dance, but, worn out with fatigue and
abusive treatment, refuses. Giarno, the leader, rushes at her, but the
old harper interposes in her behalf. Giarno then turns upon Lotario,
when the wandering student, Wilhelm Meister, suddenly appears and
rescues both Mignon and the harper. To save her from any further
persecution he engages her as his page, and follows on in the suite of
Filina, for whom he conceives a violent and sudden passion. Touched by
his kind attentions to her, Mignon falls in love with Wilhelm, who,
ignorant of his page's affection, becomes more and more a prey to the
fascinations of Filina. At last the troupe arrives at the castle,
Wilhelm and Mignon with them. Wilhelm enters with the others, leaving
Mignon to await him outside. Maddened with jealousy, sh