Bravo! After all his trademark crescendos, Puccini really knew when and how to end things, unlike e.g. Beethoven and his protracted Racket No. 5 in Cm.
Puccini left the opera unfinished when he died. If you know the score, the last part Puccini composed was Liu's death scene. Franco Alfano completed the opera from musical sketches for the remainder of the opera left behind by Puccini. In fact, at the opera's world premier at LaScala, Toscanini, who conducted the performance, put down his baton after the death scene and told the audience that was where the maestro put down his pen. It wasn't until the next night that the complete opera was performed with Alfano's ending. Still a spectacular ending that brings a tear of joy to my eyes every time I hear it. By far, my favorite opera.
