Born Cruwell in Bielefeld, she Italianised her name for the billboards and became a dramatic soprano at the Paris Opera, where in 1855 she created the role of Hélène in Verdi's Les Vêpres siciliennes. She married Viscount Vigier, left the stage, and the carving makes her three years younger.
The story
The name cut in the stone is her husband's: “Sépulture Achille VIGIER.” Then comes the singer's full legal name and her married title — Vicomtesse Vigier. The name under which Paris applauded her, Cruvelli, appears nowhere.
Born Jeanne Sophie Charlotte Cruwell at Bielefeld, in Westphalia, on 12 March 1826, she italianised her name into Cruvelli — the habit of every singer of her day, opera remaining an Italian affair even in Paris. A dramatic soprano acclaimed in London and then at the Paris Opéra, she created there, in 1855, the role of Hélène in Verdi's Les Vêpres siciliennes.
She married the Vicomte Achille Vigier in January 1856, left the stage at twenty-nine and died at Monte Carlo on 6 November 1907. The stone in Division 38 has her born in 1829: the engraver took three years off her.
The Opéra had engaged her for a hundred thousand francs, the highest fee it had ever paid. In October 1854 she vanished from Paris without warning, delaying Verdi's premiere by months and costing the theatre's director his post. She came back on 13 November, sang, and was cheered.
The grave
A grave in the husband's name: “Sépulture Achille VIGIER.” There follows an inscription that names her by her full civil name and her title as a wife: “Ici repose, madame Jeanne Sophie Charlotte CRUWELL, vicomtesse VIGIER, née à Bielefeld (Westphalie) le 12 mars 1829, décédée à Monte-Carlo le 6 novembre 1907.” — here rests Madame Jeanne Sophie Charlotte Cruwell, Viscountess Vigier, born at Bielefeld, Westphalia, on 12 March 1829, died at Monte Carlo on 6 November 1907. Two things are missing and one is wrong: neither the stage name Cruvelli, nor the Paris Opera — and the date of birth makes her three years younger.
On site, do not miss
A grave in the husband's name: “Sépulture Achille VIGIER.” The inscription names her “vicomtesse Vigier” and has her born in 1829 — three years after her civil-register date.
Visitors' questions
Where is Sophie Cruvelli's grave?
In Division 38, avenue des Acacias, first row — but under her husband's name: “Sépulture Achille VIGIER”. She is called “vicomtesse Vigier” on it, and her stage name is nowhere. She died at Monte Carlo on 6 November 1907.
General GérardWhich role did she create?
Hélène, in Verdi's Les Vêpres siciliennes, on 13 June 1855 at the Paris Opera — her last great triumph. Meyerbeer was writing the part of Sélika in L'Africaine for her at the time: she left the stage, and he laid the score aside. She married the Vicomte Achille Vigier in January 1856.
Célestine Galli-MariéWhy the Italianised name?
Because she was born Cruwell, at Bielefeld, in Westphalia: Italianising the name was what every singer of her day did, opera being an Italian business even in Paris.
Giulia GrisiDoes her stone give the right date?
It does not: it has her born on 12 March 1829, where she was born in 1826. 1826 is the true one: the carving makes her three years younger, vanity or mistake, and the discrepancy is kept as it stands.
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