Sophie Cruvelli was the daughter of a Protestant clergyman named Cruwell, and was born at Bielefeld, in Prussia, in the year 1830.  She displayed noticeable aptitude for music at an early age, and a moderate independence with which the family was endowed enabled Mme. Cruwell to take Sophie, at the age of fourteen, to Paris that she might obtain finishing lessons.  Permarini and Bordogni were the masters selected, and the latter, who perceived the latent greatness of his pupil, spared no efforts, nor did he spare Sophie, for he was a somewhat stern, austere teacher.  For two years he would permit her to sing nothing but vocal scales, and composed for her the most difficult solfeggi.  Mme. Cruwell then returned to Paris, and insisted that her daughter had made sufficient progress in the study of French and music, and might very well return home.  Bordogni indignantly replied that it would be criminal to rob the musical world of such a treasure as the Fraulein Cruwell would prove after a few years of study.  The mother yielded, saying:  “If my daughter devotes herself to the stage and fully embraces an artistic career, we may endeavor to submit to further sacrifices; but, if merely destined to bring up a family, she has learned quite enough of solfeggi; her little fortune will all be swallowed up by her music lessons.”  It was thus settled that Sophie should become a singer, and, in accordance with Bordogni’s advice, she proceeded to Milan, Italy, to complete her musical studies.

But a dreadful discovery threw her into despair when she arrived at her new quarters—­she had lost her voice.  Not a sound could be forced from her throat.  Sophie was in despair, for this was, indeed, annihilation to her hopes, and there seemed nothing in fate for her but to settle down to the average life of the German housewife, “to suckle fools and chronicle small beer,” when, on the eve of departure for Bielefeld, Signor Lamperti, the famous teacher, announced himself.  The experienced maestro advised them to wait, reasoning that the loss of voice was rather the result of fatigue and nervousness than of any more radical defect.  It was true, for a few days only had passed when Sophie’s voice returned again in all its power.  Lamperti devoted himself assiduously to preparing the young German singer for her debut, and at the end of 1847 she was enabled to appear at La Fenice, under the Italianized name of Cruvelli, in the part of Dona Sol in “Ernani.”  This was followed by a performance of Norma, and in both she made a strong impression of great powers, which only needed experience to shine with brilliant luster.  The fact that her instructor permitted her to appear, handicapped as she was by inexperience and stage ignorance, in roles not only marked by great musical difficulty, but full of dramatic energy, indicates what a high estimate was placed on her powers.