La Cieca has always, against all odds, maintained that if there is one expression that best describes the mind of the average member of the cher public, that would be “plus vive que l’oiseau, plus prompte que l’éclair.” As such, it is only fitting that Mignon, by dear Ambroise Thomas, should inaugurate our latest brain-tickling quiz here at parterre.com.
The idea, my dears, is not one of La Cieca’s but rather the inspiration of Our Own Camille, who writes,
Boris and I were just now discussing the problem of the opera Mignon (which recording I just now purchased–Stevens-MET.) He was asking me what the problem was/is, to which I responded “I dunno, Regie to the rescue.”
He immediately said that this sounds like a new game for parterre…
And there you have it, cher public: your competition. In the comments section below, you are to devise a Regie scenario for Mignon, the more detail the better, with the goal of making the opera as lively and entertaining as the text and music will allow. The best attempt at fulfilling this tall order (as judged by La Cieca’s blue ribbon panel of experts) will win a coveted Amazon.com Gift Card
.
All entries must be date-stamped prior to midnight on Tuesday, August 28, and the decision of your doyenne’s panel is, as always, utterly final.
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
