San Francisco Ballet continued to serve as the school's director until his retirement in 1975. In 1938, the company's first major production was "Coppélia", choreographed by Willam Christensen. In 1940, it staged "Swan Lake", the first time that the ballet was produced in its entirety by an American company. On Christmas Eve 1944, the company staged "Nutcracker"—the first complete production of Tchaikovsky's most popular piece ever danced in the United States. In 1942, San Francisco Opera Ballet split into two independent companies, ballet and opera. The ballet half was sold to Willam and Harold Christensen. Willam became artistic director, while Harold took on
San Mateo Creek (San Francisco Bay Area) San Mateo Creek (San Francisco Bay Area) San Mateo Creek ("Spanish for": St. Matthew Creek) is a perennial stream whose watershed includes Crystal Springs Reservoir, for which it is the only natural outlet after passing Crystal Springs Dam. After discovering San Francisco Bay from Sweeney Ridge on November 4, 1769, the Portolà expedition descended what Portolà called the "Cañada de San Francisco", now San Andreas Creek (or possibly San Mateo Creek), both of which emptied into the "Laguna Grande" where the party camped (now covered by the Upper Crystal Springs Reservoir). The Laguna Grande place name is also shown on