tracting an
undue share of attention. Yet Cruvelli does this throughout the first
scene (especially during the duet betwixt _Rocco_ and _Pizarro_, in
which _Fidelio_ overhears the plan to assassinate her husband) with a
perfection akin to that realized by Rachel in the last scene of 'Les
Horaces,' where Camille listens to the recital of her brother's victory
over her lover; and the result, like that of the chorus in a Greek
drama, is to heighten rather than lessen the effect. These may be
considered minor points, but, as necessary parts of a great conception,
they are as important, and afford as much evidence of the master mind,
as the artist's delivery of the grandest speeches or scenes."

"Mlle. Cruvelli," observes another critic, "has the power of expressing
joy and despair, hope and anxiety, hatred and love, fear and resolution,
with equal facility. She has voice and execution sufficient to master
with ease all the trying difficulties of the most trying and difficult
of parts."

_Norma_ was Sophie's second performance. "Before the first act was over,
Sophie Cruvelli demonstrated that she was as profound a mistress of the
grand as of the romantic school of acting, as perfect an interpreter
of the brilliant as of the classical school of music." She represented
_Fidelio_ five times and _Norma_ thrice.

Her features were most expressive, and well adapted to the lyric stage;
her manner also was dramatic and energetic. She was highly original,
and always thought for herself. Possessing a profound insight into
character, her conception was always true and just, while her execution
continually varied. "The one proceeds from a judgment that never errs,
the other from impulse, which may possibly lead her astray. Thus,
while her _Fidelio_ and her _Norma_ are never precisely the same on
two consecutive evenings, they are, nevertheless, always _Fidelio_ and
_Norma_.... She does not calculate. She sings and acts on the impulse of
the moment; but her performance must always be impressive, because it
is always true to one idea, always bearing upon one object--the vivid
realization of the character she impersonates to the apprehension of her
audience." So much was she the creature of impulse that, even when she
would spend a day, a week, a month, in elaborating a certain passage--a
certain dramatic effect--perhaps on the night of performance she would
improvise something perfectly different from her preconceived idea.

Her siste