"I Promessi Sposi." Among the artists associated with her during the
Roman engagement was Ronconi, who was then just beginning to establish
his great reputation. One of the most important events of her early
career was her association, in 1834, at the San Carlo, Naples, with
Duprez, Caselli, and La-blache. The composer Donizetti had always been
charmed with her voice as suiting the peculiar style of music in
which he excelled, and he determined to compose an opera for her. His
marvelous facility of composition was happily illustrated in this case.
The novel of "The Bride of Lammermoor" was turned into a libretto for
him by a Neapolitan poet, Donizetti himself, it is said, having written
the last act in his eagerness to save time and get it completed that
he might enter on the musical composition. The opera of "Lucia di
Lammermoor," one of the most beautiful of the composer's works, was
finished in little more than five weeks. The music of _Edgardo_ was
designed for the voice of M. Duprez, that of _Lucia_ for Mme. Persiani,
and the result was brilliantly successful, not only as suiting the
styles of those singers, but in making a powerful impression on the
public mind. Mme. Persiani never entered into any rivalry with those
singers who were celebrated for their dramatic power, for this talent
did not peculiarly stamp her art-work. But her impersonation of _Lucia_
in Donizetti's opera was sentimental, impassioned, and pathetic to a
degree which saved her from the reproach which was sometimes directed
against her other performances--lack of unction and abandon.


II.

The _personnel_ of Mme. Persiani could not be considered highly
attractive. She was small, thin, with a long, colorless face, and looked
older than her years. Her eyes were, however, soft and dreamy, her smile