Act One

The courtyard of an inn in a small German town. The wandering minstrel Lothario accompanies himself on the harp and sings ("Fugitif et tremblant") to drinking townsfolk and travelers. A troupe of actors, among them Philine and Laerte, watch as gypsies dance. Jarno, the gypsy chief, threatens Mignon with a beating if she does not dance, but Lothario and a student, Wilhelm Meister, intervene and help her. She is grateful, and to thank them she divides her collected wildflowers between the two men. Wilhelm reveals to Laerte, one of the actors, that his is twenty years old and has left his home in Vienna to travel and find adventure. Wilhelm allows Laerte to take his flowers and present them to Philine, another member of the troupe, because he, too, is impressed with her beauty. Laerte leaves with Philine. Wilhelm and Mignon speak of Mignon's childhood, of which she has only a few memories because she was kidnapped by foreign gypsies from a country warmer than Germany ("Connais-tu le pays?"). Wilhelm decides to buy Mignon's freedom and makes a bargain with Jarno. Lothario returns and informs Mignon he is travelling south and must say goodbye ("Légères hirondelles"). Lothario asks Mignon to go with him, but she tells him she wishes to stay with Wilhelm. Philine enters, and although she is being followed by her young admirer, Frédéric, she only has eyes for Wilhelm. Baron de Rosenberg, Frédéric's uncle, has invited the troupe of actors to play at his castle. As the actors leave for Rosenberg's castle, Mignon sees the flowers she gave Wilhelm in Philine's hands and becomes very upset, because she has fallen in love with Wilhelm.



Act Two

Philine delights in her luxurious surroundings at the Rosenberg castle. Outside, Laerte sings of Philine's beauty. Entering the room, he brings with him Mignon and Wilhelm, who the sing a duet ("Je crois entendre les doux compliments"), while Mignon pretends to be asleep. After the three others leave, Mignon, extremely jealous, tries on one of Philine's costumes and applies some of the actress's makeup. Frédéric enters and sings his famous rondo-gavotte. Looking for Mignon, Wilhelm returns and is challenged by Frédéric, but Mignon moves between them as they are about to fight. The sight of Mignon in one of Philine's costumes makes Frédéric laugh and Wilhelm concerned; he decides he and Mignon cannot be together and bids her farewell. As Wilhelm leaves with Philine, the actress mocks Mignon and the way she looks.

The scene shifts to the park of the castle.

Mignon has been made crazy by jealousy ("Elle est là, près de lui?"). She intends to jump into the river, but the sound of a harp stops her. She realizes it is Lothario, who consoles her ("As-tu souffert? As-tu pleuré?"). The acting troupe is performing A Midsummer Night's Dream in Rosenberg's conservatory, and at this moment applause for Philine comes forth from the building. Mignon screams that she wishes the building were hit by lightning and set on fire, the runs off. Lothario walks toward the conservatory while saying "Fire, fire," to himself. Philine, spurred on by the applause, sings a polonaise ("Je suis Titania"), while the actors and audience members come out into the park. Mignon returns and is welcomed affectionately by Wilhelm. Philine notices this and sends Mignon into the conservatory for the flowers Mignon had earlier given to Wilhelm. When Wilhelm sees flames shooting from the building, which Lothario has set on fire, he runs inside and returns with Mignon, who is unconscious and clutches a bunch of charred flowers.



Act Three

The gallery of a castle in Italy. Mignon and Lothario have come to Italy with Wilhelm, where Mignon rests, tended to by Lothario, who prays for her to recover. One of the servants, Antonio, tells them the story of the previous owners of the castle, the Ciprianis: Their young daughter disappeared and was believed to have drowned. As a result the mother died of grief, and both of these events drove the father mad and into exile. Antonio tells Wilhelm that the castle is now available at a very good price. Wilhelm then pledges that, because the Cipriani castle has played a significant part in Mignon's recovery, he will buy it for her. When Lothario hears the name, "Cipriani," he turns and leaves the gallery. Although Wilhelm finds this behavior odd, his attention is drawn to Mignon. Wilhelm receives a letter from Laerte informing him that Philine is on her way. When Mignon wakes up she expresses her attraction to her strangely familiar surroundings ("Je suis heureuse! l'air m'enivre"), and Wilhelm tells Mignon of his love for her. When Mignon hears Philine's voice from outside she faints. When she regains consciousness she sees Lothario, in extravagant clothing, walking toward her and Wilhelm. Lothario welcomes them to his palace and gives Mignon a little box. Inside, she finds a book that belongs to one Sperata, the daughter of the house, presumed to be dead. When she starts to read the prayer inside the book she realizes she knows it by heart. Mignon is Sperata and Lothario, now in his right mind, is her father. With Wilhelm they celebrate their reunion.

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