"One day, around 5 August...I happened to see Janusz Korczak and his orphans leaving the ghetto. The evacuation of the Jewish orphanage run by Janusz Korczak [and Stefania "Stefa" Wilczyńska] had been ordered for that morning. The children were to have been taken away alone. He had the chance to save himself, and it was only with difficulty that he persuaded the Germans to take him too. He had spent long years of his life with children, and now, on this last journey, he would not leave them alone." [An excerpt from The Pianist, by Wladyslaw Szpilman]

When people hear the name Janusz Korczak, instantly, an unforgettable image emerges: a march of more than 194 children, staff & teachers, and Stefa Wilczyńska, the "mother" of the Orphan's House, with Korczak at the head, holding two children by the hand as they walked on towards the cattle cars whose final destination was the Treblinka concentration camp in 1942. Recognized the world over for his extraordinary contributions to children's rights in the fields of medicine, psychology, and literature, Korczak declined every offer made to save his life, even as he and his orphans approached the Umschlagplatz. He would never abandon his children. And he certainly would not leave Stefa - the one person who helped him realize his vision to love, respect, and raise the children in their care. This musical drama is the story of Janusz and Stefa and how, together, they sought to care for their orphans within the ghetto walls and to uphold the human spirit and dignity of each child even in the face of death. Written by Sasha Holloway and Hannah Holloway. Music composed by Sasha Holloway, Hannah Holloway, and Mikhail Smigelski. Music arranged by Mikhail Smigelski.

In 2005, professional opera singers, Chris and Sasha Holloway, founded the performing arts company “Opera Leggera” (light opera) in Kingwood, Texas. With the desire to present the world's most beautiful music to the North Houston community, Chris and Sasha created a unique musical theatre that would present a diverse repertoire that spans the styles of opera, operetta, pop, Broadway, & American/international classic standards.

These exciting musical extravaganzas have become the quality entertainment enjoyed by the entire community.
Each Opera Leggera production is original and presented by a cast of singers, dancers, actors, and musicians, professional and amateur alike. Through the years, Opera Leggera has produced 30 shows and counting, among which audience favorites include "Holiday Enchantment," "Our Song is here to Stay," and "There Ain't Nothin' Like a Dame."

​Opera Leggera is also dedicated to providing a professional and educational atmosphere for aspiring artists. It is Opera Leggera's goal to transform theatre-goer's appreciation of music and theatre into a life-long passion.

Our mission at Opera Leggera is to produce original musical/theatrical productions that preserve cultural values and enrich audiences of all ages and backgrounds while providing professional singers, musicians, dancers, and actors the opportunity to perform in a professional theatrical setting alongside local talents in a collaborative, educational, and inspiring atmosphere.