A life of love or a life of luxury? In a moment of crisis, Manon can't decide; so she tries to have both, and ends up with neither. This is co-dependency set to music, and it was Puccini's first big hit.
The Chevalier is disowned by his aristocratic family after he seduces Manon into running away with him to Paris. He goes ever deeper into debt in his attempts to provide the luxury that Manon demands.—dnitzer