The second act opens in Filina’s boudoir, where she is at her toilet, arraying herself for her part as Titania in the forthcoming performance of the “Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the castle.  As Wilhelm and Mignon enter the apartment, a very dramatic conversation ensues between them in the form of a terzetto ("Ohime quell’ acre riso").  Mignon is in despair at the attention Wilhelm pays Filina, and the latter adds to her pangs by singing with him a gay coquettish aria ("Gai complimenti").  As they leave the room Mignon goes to the mirror and begins adorning herself as Filina had done, hoping thereby to attract Wilhelm, singing meanwhile a characteristic song ("Conosco un zingarello”) with a peculiar refrain, which the composer himself calls the “Styrienne.”  It is one of the most popular numbers in the opera, and when first sung in Paris made a furor.  At the end of the scene Mignon goes into a cabinet to procure one of Filina’s dresses, and the lovelorn Frederick enters and sings his only number in the opera, a bewitching rondo gavotte ("Filina nelle sale").  Wilhelm enters, and a quarrel between the jealous pair is prevented by the sudden appearance of Mignon in Filina’s finery.  She rushes between them, Frederick makes his exit in a fume, and Wilhelm announces to Mignon his intention to leave her, in the aria, “Addio, Mignon, fa core,” one of the most pathetic songs in the modern opera.  In the next scene she tears off her finery and rushes out expressing her hatred of Filina.  The scene now changes to the park surrounding the castle where the entertainment is going on.  Mignon hears the laughter and clapping of hands, and overcome with despair attempts to throw herself into the lake, but is restrained by Lotario, and a beautiful duet ensues between them ("Sofferto hai tu?").  In the next scene Filina, the actors, and their train of followers emerge from the castle, and in the midst of their joy she sings the polacca, “Ah! per stassera,” which is a perfect feu de joie of sparkling music, closing with a brilliant cadenza.  The finale, which is very dramatic, describes the burning of the castle and the rescue of Mignon.

The last act is more dramatic than musical, though it contains a few delightful numbers, among them the chorus barcarole in the first scene, “Orsu, sciogliam le vela,” a song by Wilhelm ("Ah! non credea"), and the love duet, “Ah! son felice,” between Wilhelm and Mignon, in which is heard again the cadenza of Filina’s polacca.  “Mignon” has always been a success, and will unquestionably always keep its place on the stage,—­longer even than the composer’s more ambitious works, “Hamlet” and “Francoise de Rimini,” by virtue of its picturesqueness and poetic grace, as well as by the freshness, warmth, and richness of its melodies.  In this country opera-goers will long remember “Mignon” by the great successes made by Miss Kellogg as Filina, and by Mme. Lucca and Mme. Nilsson in the title-role.