La Bohème - San Francisco Opera

ACT IV
It is now several weeks later, in Rodolfo and Marcello's garret.
Separated from their girlfriends again, Rodolfo and Marcello complain about how lonely
they are ("Ah, Mimì, tu più non torni"). Their friends Colline and Schaunard join them,
bringing some food. To cheer themselves up, they all start playing around, pretending to
have a dance; their play gets rougher and rougher until they end up in a pretend duel.
Right in the middle of all their rough-housing, Musetta bursts into the room, saying that
Mimi, now seriously ill, is downstairs asking to see Rodolfo. Mimì is dying, and she is too
weak to walk up the stairs. They bring Mimì upstairs, and try to make her as comfortable
as possible. Musetta and Colline both go off to try to get enough money to buy food and
medicine for Mimì; Musetta goes off to sell her earrings, and Colline goes off to pawn his
coat ("Vecchia zimarra"). Mimì and Rodolfo have a moment to talk alone, but she is seized
by a terrible fit of coughing. Musetta returns and gives Mimì a muff to warm her hands, and
as Rodolfo turns away to lower the blinds on the windows, Mimì dies. The others suddenly
notice that she is dead, and Rodolfo turns back, realizing that he has lost her for good.
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