Sports Finals

Doc Watson asked:


Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know many will chime in with obvious, with poor ‘ol little Mimi croaking in the final in La Boheme, but we all see that coming a mile away. And besides, being more than sighly over-performed does take a little bite out of the otherwise near-perfect rendering of Mimi’s last stand.

So I’m voting for Manon’s ‘just about ready to give up the ghost’ aria (Sola, perduta, abbandonata) from Puccini’s ‘Manon Lescaut.’ Although there is nothing grand or heroic about claiming you’re not ready to die, when Manon sings this it is one of the most humanly stated sentiments ever conveyed in the world of opera.

So, would you concur? Or would you have your own favorite tearjerker?
Croak is an American slang word, going back to the 1930s, for someone who dies. I was just trying to be cute with my question. But ask yourself, Italian, does Mimi die? If so ,she croaks, she gives up the ghost, she deep sixes, or however you want to slang it.
This is one of those questions where the replies are highly subjective and, as such, there either are no right answers or every sincere reply is a right answer. The only thing that puzzles me is why all the thumbs down here when it really is subjective to begin with?
I’M NOT CHOSING A ‘RIGHT’ ANSWER from so many wonderful replies. I simply can’t because there are at least a dozen ‘best’ answers here. You guys will have to fight it out among yourselves.

But I personally thank you all for your wonderful replies.