Heggie continued work on the opera in collaboration with Scheer and stage director Leonard Foglia.

[1] As noted, the cast was headed by Ben Heppner as Ahab, with Morgan Smith as Starbuck, Stephen Costello as Greenhorn and Jonathan Lemalu as Queequeg.

[3] The production at the State Opera of South Australia in Adelaide followed in August–September 2011, with Jay Hunter Morris as Ahab.

[6] Calgary Opera staged the work in early 2012, with Heppner, Brett Polegato as Starbuck and Colin Ainsworth as Greenhorn.

[9] The San Francisco Opera production was filmed for later television relay, which occurred in late 2013, and was subsequently released on DVD.

Jay Hunter Morris was Ahab, and many others in the cast recreated their roles of the Dallas premiere, including Morgan Smith, Stephen Costello and Jonathan Lemalu, as well as conductor Patrick Summers.

The harpooneer Queequeg prays and wakes Greenhorn (the novel's Ishmael, renamed for the opera), who is a loner and newcomer to whaling.

After the crew sings of whales, wealth and home, Captain Ahab suddenly appears.

He then nails a gold doubloon to the mast and promises it to the man who first sights Moby Dick.

Ahab explains that the real reason for the voyage is to find and destroy this one whale, and calls "Death to Moby Dick!".

At sunset, Ahab looks over the wake of the ship and reflects that his obsession deprives him of any enjoyment of beauty, leaving him only with anguish.

Stubb jokes with the young Black cabin boy Pip about the sharks that circle the ship.

Starbuck and Stubb harpoon whales, but Flask's boat capsizes and Pip is lost at sea.

On board the Pequod, the crew butcher an enormous whale and render the oil in the burning tryworks.

Scenes 1-3: Day Three: One year later As a great storm approaches, Stubb, Flask and the crew sing a jolly work song.

Ahab sings defiantly, whilst lightning bolts engulf the ship and the masts glow with St. Elmo's fire.

Ahab demands that the men hold their posts, stating that the white flame is a sign from heaven to guide them to Moby Dick.

From afar, Gardiner, captain of the Rachel, another whaling vessel, pleads for help to search for his 12-year-old son who was lost in the storm.

Ahab ponders the heartless God who devastates so many lives and baptizes his new harpoon with Pip's blood.

Below deck, Greenhorn sees Queequeg's newly built coffin and contemplates the state of the ship and crew.

Ahab describes his forty years at sea and all that he has left behind, and asks to what purpose, which he cannot answer.

During the chase, Moby Dick destroys two whale boats in succession, drowning their crews.

Finally alone with the white whale, Ahab cries out and stabs at Moby Dick, before he is dragged down into the sea.