Just a couple of small addenda:
I'm pretty sure the Met 2005 gala which did turn out to be her farewell to the stage was NOT so advertised at the time.
And I don't believe that any role Freni did sing onstage was heavier than Butterfly, which she wisely limited to recordings and the one Act 3 performance. Manon Lescaut, a late addition to her repertoire, is certainly fairly heavy.
