Composé de 18 scènes, l'opéra retrace 16 années de la vie de Louis Riel, instituteur manitobain et héros métis, de la Rébellion de la rivière Rouge (1869-1870) à la Rébellion du Nord-Ouest (1884-1885), en passant par son procès et sa pendaison à Regina en 1885. Il met également en scène les intrigues politiques à Ottawa qui ont suivi les actions de Riel, ainsi que plusieurs autres événements….

Cormack rencontre Shanawdithit pour la première fois. Elle travaille comme servante pour Peyton depuis cinq ans sous le nom colonial de Nancy April. Cormack est impressionné; cette femme est la dernière des Béothuks. Peyton donne la femme à Cormack, la traitent d'inutile.

Her health fading, Shanawdithit wonders if she’ll be welcomed into the spirit world after so much time with the colonists. Cormack tells her he must leave, and Shanawdithit gives him a sketch of his house to carry with him. He leaves the room to pack. Shanawdithit hears the spirits of her people calling her name. It is time. One spirit in partic...

Cormack essaie de collecter des fonds pour les soins de Shanawdithit, sans succès. James Simms offre de s'occuper d'elle pendant l'absence de Cormack.

Shanawdithit describes the last days of her family as they were pushed from their land and then hunted. She asks Cormack not to speak of their death, but of their life. Cormack is ecstatic and gets lost in the memories Shanawdithit paints. She breaks his reverie with the cold fact that the life she speaks of will never happen again. She collapse...

The taking of Demasduit weighs heavy on Shanawdithit’s heart. Cormack, unsure of what to do, tries to comfort her, saying Demasduit was treated well. Shawnadithit asks if white people actually care about her people, her story, because Cormack’s words are betrayed by the actions of his fellows, and indeed, his own. Cormack insists he will ensure ...

Cormack’s study in St. John’s, now Shanawdithit’s room. “Nancy April” reveals she can speak English quite well, and tells Cormack her real name: Shanawdithit. Cormack asks her where the rest of her people are, where her home is. Shanawdithit says simply: they are no more. Shanawdithit reflects on the loss of her people and the taking of her aunt...

Shanawdithit réprimande Cormack pour son complexe de sauveur.

Cormack présente ses découvertes sur Shanawdithit aux membres de l'institut Beothuk.

Shanawdithit, mourante, parle à ses ancêtres. Elle est prête à quitter ce monde.

Henson aide Minik à atteindre le pays des morts ; Peary et Joséphine se disputent au sujet des enfants inuits de Peary.

Les explorateurs élaborent un plan pour amener les Inuits en Amérique pour gagner de l'argent.

Minik se souvient du Groenland.