This episode of Behind the Ballet takes on the 2025 Summer season fan favorite: Swan Lake. 25 years have gone by since Kevin McKenzie’s staging of Swan Lake first graced the Metropolitan Opera House’s stage. In this episode, Elizabeth Kaye offers a sneak peek into the ballet’s ABT premiere in 2000 featuring current Artistic Director Susan Jaffe in the role of Odette/Odile. Described by Elizabeth Kaye as the “crown jewel of classical ballet,” Kaye chronicles the tragic story of Swan Lake and how Tchaikovsky’s ethereal score shapes this iconic 19th Century tale.