What happens when an ambitious (but not too bright) horse decides to rule the country? A group of Parisian authors of the early 14th century imagined just this scenario, along with the ensuing sycophancy of everyone else (including the king and the pope!), in the satiric Roman de Fauvel. This allegorical and amusing work was intended as a critique of the excesses and hypocrisy of the French elite and the Catholic Church. Famous in its own day, the roman survives in several manuscripts; the version produced in 1318 includes beautiful illustrations and dozens of musical works.

This May, Ensemble Scholastica will be joined by the talented up-and-coming Ensemble Comtessa to tell the story of Fauvel the horse, vice-ridden ruler of medieval France, in a staged musical production bringing to life this silly but all-too-timely tale about the greed and corruption of those who seek power.