The Dutch National Opera will stream its recent production of Rudi Stephan’s “Die ersten Menschen” via ARTE Opera starting on June 25, 2021.

The long-forgotten opera was directed by Calixto Bieito in the first performances of the work worldwide since 1988. François-Xavier Roth conducted an ensemble that starred Kyle Ketelsen, Annette Dasch, Leigh Melrose, and John Osborn.

The opera explores how the family of Adahm and Chawa and their sons Kajin and Chabel are torn apart by the conflicts between a life lived through sexual urges and greed for life and another devoted to spiritual awakening.

“Die ersten Menschen” was not originally slated for the Dutch National Opera’s spring season; it replaced a production of “La damnation de Faust,” which proved too large-scale to put together under the current government restrictions.

The opera will be available to stream for six months with options for subtitles in six languages.