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 Francisco Parks Trust San Francisco Parks Trust San Francisco Parks Trust was a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of parks in San Francisco, California. In 2011 the San Francisco Parks Council and San Francisco Parks Trust merged to form the new San Francisco Parks Alliance. Founded in 1971 with a $50,000 grant from developer and philanthropist, Walter Shorenstein, San Francisco Parks Trust, formerly Friends of Recreation & Parks, began as an all-volunteer organization dedicated to supporting San Francisco parks. SFPT's offices are located in historic McLaren Lodge at the eastern end of Golden Gate Park, overlooking the City Tree