Riders to the Sea is a through-composed piece without strict scene delineations. Guidelines given here are intended to give a general idea of the different events which occur through the opera, and which characters are involved. Scene titles are author’s own.
Maurya is sleeping, something from the priest ‘Where is she?’ ‘She’s lying down’ - Nora, Cathleen
Maurya wakes up ‘Isn’t it turf enough you have’ - Maura, Cathleen, Nora
Bartley comes home 'Where is that bit of new rope, Cathleen’ - Bartley, Cathleen, Maurya, Nora
Bartley leaves ‘He’s done now, God spare us’ - Maura, Cathleen, Nora
The sisters examine the items from the priest ‘Wait, Nora, maybe she’d turn back quickly’ - Cathleen, Nora
Maurya returns ‘You didn’t give him his bit of bread?’ - Maurya, Cathleen, Nora
Maurya’s vision ‘I went down to the spring well’ - Maurya, Cathleen, Nora
Maurya’s losses ‘Bartley will be lost now’ - Maurya, Cathleen, Nora, Chorus of keening women
Bartley is brought home ‘Is it Bartley it is?’ - Cathleen, A Woman, Nora, Maurya
It is finished ‘They are all gone now’ - Maurya, keening women, Nora, Cathleen
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Riders to the Sea guide sections
