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Coming to that television concert and over 20 legends of classics So in summary love bands so really did some Saturday night at 9:00 here on The View. Coming up next on Q A follow up to one of our most talked about stories the Russian orphans a project
find out what happened to the orphans and who was adopted by American families. Also tonight the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra tours the Big Apple. Stay connected. On cue starts right now. Welcome on to magazine I'm Stacey Smith. Perhaps no on cue stories have generated as much interest as the stories we have done on Project Hope. And tonight we bring you a follow up. Nearly two years ago on cue first profiled project oh it's an international effort to find local families for 20 Russian orphans. The children captured our viewers attention and their hearts but the story left many people wondering did the children finally leave Russia for good. Did they get back to Pittsburgh. And two adoptive families waiting here well those questions are
answered tonight as on cue contributor Gina Wright takes you to a project hope reunion. In tonight's cover story. They've got Nintendo the Barbie dolls. They've definitely got the silly behavior down pat. These are typical American kids. In fact the only thing not so typical about these American kids is that they're actually rushing kids because the children project almost two years ago in the summer of 2001 when Russian who traveled to five weeks looking for adoptive families. It was called Project and we did see this families came together. When
they're completed after 20 months of uncertainty most of the project's children are back here at the gym. The first thing for kids who have been here and they have no trouble communicating right. This is Christina. She was adopted by a lot
younger sister Catarina brother. And here they are the night they first arrive in July 2001. Christina spent five weeks that summer with Rhonda Michelle Catarina was too young to travel at the time and at the end of the summer the homers he's made the commitment to adopt all three siblings coins and explain to them that when we put them together like they were going to be a family they're a family now. In fact seven is their one year anniversary. There's another project hope sibling group at this party.
Alexa and Kyle Laughlin although before their adoptions they were known as lewd Mila. And if you think of yourself a lot. Yeah if I call Kyle damn car mom dad and brother to be Kody parted with Kyle intellects at the airport at the end of the project visit. Sad enough when they thought the separation would be brief. No one knew at the time the wait for their return would stretch to more than a year. My mom sounds like an EM friend she said I'm going to come in there is she said. And you believe Yeah well while you were in Russia it was a pretty long time to probably know where do you start to worry. Well I think I might wait for the new nose. So I see this coming today as I can now. I mean cause I was going down there and watching but Cullum Alexa dig come home.
It's been almost seven months now and they settled into our family dynamic. That's as old as time. I don't like my sister is she mean in the noise and she always comes where you just kind of just can I do this you can you know help brother sister to worry about me. Dinar he was one of the last project hope children to find a host family at the gala abortions fell in love with him. Make the commitment to adopt it or almost immediately although the wait for his completed adoption dragged on for months. Matter of fact good natured dinar said he was not mourning. I thought it was well. I do not have patience. A few other faces round out the guest list to today's party. Valerie and Tamara Leonard came from the same Russian orphanage as the others but they were part of the first wave of Project Hope children to come to this area and they've been in Pittsburgh for over five years and a couple of other little
Russians crashed the guest list. These are my own sons Sasha and Nikita. They were part of Project Hope but we did adopt them from Russia three years ago. Tell Christine everywhere you go. My 3 year old sons came here as infants so as they get older they'll define their history through photographs and from what we tell them about their arrival in our family. But none of the project hope kids came here with a clean slate. Some lived in orphanages their entire lives. Others came later abandoned by birth families scared confused and then challenged with starting over again in a new country in a new family. Those memories can't be denied. I use a sense of rash and you know
teachers you know Russian but also American. Extraordinary but also pretty normal but typical kids maybe more than anything typical kids. And when we come back we return to the Project Hope reunion party to meet one final guest. His search for an adoptive family held unexpected surprises and on cue was claiming some of the crowds you're watching on Q magazine because these foundations care enough about local programming to help pay for it down at the Richard foundation the foundation the Pittsburgh foundation
the Henry foundation. Corporate funding for on cue is provided by the West Allegheny health system among America's best according to U.S. News and World Report magazine. And Allegheny is the provider of choice on the web at WPATH ass dot org. And we couldn't do it without the members. Welcome back to ON Q And tonight we have been bringing you a follow up to our series of reports on the international adoption program called Project Hope. So far you have seen the children who are no longer Russian orphans they are now typical Pittsburgh kids living with local families. On to Contributor Jean a contender right now goes back to the Project Hope reunion party to focus on one child one family at a stroke of fate. There is one other one very special guest which makes particular cry.
There were five children who fail to find adoptive families on that project who visit nearly two years ago. One of them was 10 year old Yori. And during the bus ride to the airport returning to Russia wherever he gave in to his grief and he cried in his bus seat alone. Yuri is no longer alone. He's here because for him he's the son. Larry and Carolyn on Christmas Day 2001. Christmas evening when he aired the special about Project Hope. I did pay particular attention to a young man on there named Yuri who I understand was not matched with a family. Watch the program was moved by casually mention to
Larry when he came home that I'd seen a program on Channel 13 but I was very sad to say that there was a who was not matched with the family and without missing a beat said well that's OK with him. Ten months later you know our Christmas present became a reality. The Newmans already have two adopted children two biological children. They even have a new grandchild. But they say friends and family weren't really that surprised that they adopted Yuri after seeing him so briefly on TV. I think that people like to hear the providential hand of God had me watching on Christmas Day. I would have to say it was almost like I just brought him into our family through your program. It's been nearly two years since the children of project first visited America and a lot of emotion but happy and heart rending has accompanied them on the journey
that brought them from that moment to this moment. They're no longer hooked Project Hope. The focus is no longer on the home that brought them here. The focus is on their hopes for all that lies ahead. Well a happy ending for most of the Project Hope children besides your eight three other children who did not find homes during the original Project Hope visit have now been placed with American families thanks in part to Gina's reports. However four of the adoptions did fall through and those children will not be able to return to the United States reminding us that adoption carries risks as well as rewards and for more information on
Project Hope international and domestic adoption. You can find links on our website WQED dot org. Just click the Q button on the first page. Still to come the Pittsburgh Symphony orchestra plays the Big Apple. That's next on queue for find out about it I mean I guess you can get web addresses or phone numbers to be given and you can send us your comments. Just go to our Web QED dot org and click on queue. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra makes an impression wherever they go. Now this past fall right before Christmas they made their annual trip to New York City exporting Pittsburgh to the Big Apple. And they also played to a very appreciative audience of New Jersey fans Jim Cunningham went with the Pittsburgh Symphony and reports now on the New York and New Jersey legs of their fall tour.
The Pittsburgh Symphony in the center of it all New York City on Central Park for two concerts at Carnegie Hall with Maurice Johnson's conducting. I'm Jim coming in for on cue the Pittsburgh Symphony visits the Big Apple. Every year the city remains energetic and by Brits lights of Times Square and Broadway shining brighter than ever before. Musical heart of the city. Carnegie Hall the Pittsburgh Symphony rehearses the sounds of Brahms Omobono and shows. Practice is essential.
Carnegie Hall where the orchestra gives an open person to adjust to the acoustics. A special feature of this season's concerts is the New York premiere of the work by Rodin Shudra untitled dialogues with trusting children is one of the best known and most highly regarded composers of Russia. Shasta called Also Johnson since he was a boy. He's so serious for her which she herself for each piece for each score he is lazy he is there really a war Cod he's had walked out and was he's received three children's dialogues recalls the hard world of Dmitri Shostakovich who tangled with Joseph Stalin. Children writes dramatic music which ends with gigantic pressures.
Her What do the crashes mean. Bad bad rushing sounds of children Shostakovich under Maurice Johnson's are reflected in the windows of New York Saks Fifth Avenue the windows celebrate the 310 averse array of St. Petersburg where Maurice has a home often conducts and where his mother still lives. The windows recalled the Once Upon a Time world of Russian fairy tales and recreate the Winter Palace of the Emma Taj museum with rocking horses and dancers at a basketball arena or Rockefeller Center. Pittsburgh Symphony members watch as skaters waltz across the ice in the shadow of the great christmas tree.
And at Radio City Music Hall visitors are greeted by cannon fire that knocks down Nutcracker soldiers. Just around the corner from Carnegie Hall orchestra members enjoy a bite at the famous Carnegie delicatessen. The menu offers sandwiches with names like 50 Ways to Leave Your liver the mouth that roared and bacon whoopee everything of the deli is New York style. Whether it's the commish blitz or the famous piled high corn beef Woody Allen is still a regular source Sylvester Stallone and Janet Jackson. They're all on the wall of fame double bassist John Moore Michael Howard Ronald can tell me and Jeff Grubbs finish their cheesecake. But what's for lunch a pastrami on rye. We were able to get as an almost bought but I'm not planning on having anything else today. I had the ribbon and it was a it was delicious and I didn't finish it.
I have more I have left I have leftovers for later on. Orchestra members attracted the attention of the delis management. Now you hear that you're in the you know every day. Yes I am DMB do you hear me every day. Does any. But you know what I'd be doing it. No I'll tell you right now I'm married the boss's daughter MBT. I mean I don't have to worry about when my next book is coming from that. Have you ever seen anybody famous in the current you know he receives anything out of the Woody Allen made of nothing but he's ever seen and followed me afoul standing outside the Carnegie Deli freeway doing a movie the movie was standing close and I was in the movie at the end of the movie. Actually they took a picture of me going coming into the deli. My parents saw it I never. There's also a Pittsburgh connection at Carnegie Hall. The president and CEO is Robert Harth who's the son of Sidney hearth a
conductor at both Duquesne and Carnegie Mellon University's Pittsburgh Symphony is a terrific ambassador for the city of Pittsburgh. And listen I'm a big fan of Pittsburgh I'll always be a big fan of Pittsburgh I grew up there. My roots are there. I'm very fond of the cultural life. After the two concerts at Carnegie Hall the orchestra packed up and travelled an hour to Morristown New Jersey for a performance at the community theater built in one thousand thirty seven as a movie palace. It underwent renovation in 1904 and became a concert hall. The Hungarian National Philharmonic will play this season as well as the Tokyo string quartet and the Village People have been there during the concert. Maurice Johnson shared the podium with the concert master Andras Cardenas who played it also conducted by and by the community theater doesn't have
much room backstage orchestra members were encouraged to dress before getting on the bus because wardrobe cases would be left out in the cold. We were all grumbling and complaining about oh you know there's no place to change and it's an hour's bus ride from New York and we were all tired and it's the middle of the tour and do we really want to do this but then we get up on stage and you start playing ball and you feel the energy from the people and you understand what it means to them that you've taken this trip. Wow thank you. Beyond the Hawaii. Well the concert in New York City and Morristown New Jersey were part of a tour that included performances in two other northeastern cities as well and Jim Cunningham joins us for a preview of those concerts.
Carol back in November the symphony visited two more U.S. cities as part of the fall tour from New York and New Jersey the orchestra hit the road for Philadelphia for their first performance at the new Kimmel Center and after that it was on to Boston for the tour's grand finale that's all in part two of our report which will air tomorrow night don't miss it. That's right. Take a look at that. You are and I are we're looking very forward to that now. There's been a lot of press about the symphony having financial problems what is that going to do about the touring they're making some progress on those problems. The money is coming in of course it puts more pressure on everything to make sure that everything succeeds with the tours actually generate revenue for the orchestra with ticket sales and presenters fees which is hard to imagine because it's so expensive to take that. 20 plus members of the tour party around but they actually bring in money from being at Carnegie Hall in New York in particular the European Tour is where Mars has a very hot property and so is a Pittsburgh Symphony they want the orchestra to come be part of their series and they generate some some bucks by doing that and the reviews have been good haven't that phenomenal The Boston Globe critic.
He wrote that the orchestra was a national treasure this isn't the first sentence and in Philadelphia Peter Joe Prince said that the orchestra was one of the two great cultural assets that Pennsylvania should brag more about having both the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Symphony in the same state only California and Texas even come close with such great orchestral talent and in one state so they raved in Philadelphia they rave The New York Times The Times critic is always extremely tough on Pittsburgh but all three were rave reviews on the strip. How is the camel center the Kimmel Center is amazing you know the same architect Raphael the newly the designer Convention Center here in Pittsburgh it's funny it was terrible weather when the orchestra was there and there were a few leaks in the ceiling we noticed a few puddles on the on the floor but it's absolutely beautiful to look at the acoustics are very controversial you'll see that tomorrow night after they spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the on the Kimmel Center everybody wants it to sound better than the old Academy of Music where the Philadelphia Orchestra used to play but they're adjusting the acoustics and it is phenomenal to look at so
don't miss tomorrow night. Now any word on a new musical director. That Martha's lots of names being thrown around that's the question of the hour of course and I think they're taking their time and they'll have to look very hard still have another year with Maurice yon since Cercamon will be ending the season I've heard some people mention his name that he might be a possibility because he doesn't have a permanent appointment outside of his orchestra in Canada. So there are some names out there and of course it's got to be a top drawer person somebody they can sell tickets when the orchestra goes out on tour and someone will be part of the community here in Pittsburgh so that is the question of the day but we still have this season and next to enjoy the work with Maurice chances they're going from strength to strength that it really is the best time that the orchestra is having So do yourself a favor and get down to Heinz Hall this weekend. Morris is conducting at the Hall on Friday and Saturday night is going to be exciting. What's FM. To rethink my haven now. Well of course you can hear the Pittsburgh Symphony of Paisley nights and Sunday afternoons Don't miss it we send them out to one hundred fifty hundred seventy stations across the country with our broadcast of the orchestra
we tape all the Pittsburgh opera productions and they're on a high. And of course Marise Yeltsin's previews each concert on Thursday nights at 7 o'clock and Saturday morning at 10:00 in our symphony weekend program. So you get the inside scoop on what's happening at Heinz how we talked about his big birthday celebration last week which is an amazing high for the orchestra I think this is an emotional time with their financial challenges that Yorkshire is facing and yet all the phenomenal music making down there and you know it's winter so it's cold outside and it's great to be inside and toasty warm and hearing Amazing music. You asked about what the stations up there we're going to broadcast live from the frick on Sunday afternoon there have a new exhibit of media and teasin that should be beautiful on the on a on a winter day to be inside with those beautiful artworks and we'll be bringing a preview on Sunday afternoon so stop by and see as we broadcast LIVE SUNDAY. Wonderful thanks for having thought is great when you're here. It's great to see you what a wonderful treat to have an escape cue from all the Michael Jacksons in their eyes nearly bombs and we're crazy.
When I got out of the world right here and you get to escape from it all of a joy hope in the pitch I read a symphony playing Shostakovich really great. We need that. And now here's a look at what's happening tomorrow. More escape. On cue it was 12 years ago that 13 local reserves with the quartermaster lost their lives in Saudi Arabia tomorrow. Friends and families remember the fallen and speak out about the possibility of round two with Iraq and forces. Also tomorrow we continue our exclusive coverage of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's recent tour. We'll follow them to Philly and Boston. Behind the scenes to see how the Carnegie Museum plans to archive tens of thousands of negatives of photographs taken by legendary talk of him. And thank you for joining us we'll be back here live at 7:30 tomorrow evening. We hope that we'll see you there. And stay connected with on Q magazine.
Good luck to you watching on Q magazine because these foundations care enough about local programming.
Series
OnQ
Episode Number
4025
Contributing Organization
WQED (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/120-128935zf
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Description
Description
CS: Project Hope Reunion #1 (Gina) MS: Project Hope Reunion #2 (Gina not on set) MI: PSO in NY/NJ (Jim C. on set)
Broadcast Date
2003-02-24
Created Date
2003-02-24
Genres
News
Magazine
Topics
News
Media type
Moving Image
Duration
00:28:19
Embed Code
Copy and paste this HTML to include AAPB content on your blog or webpage.
Credits
AAPB Contributor Holdings
WQED-TV
Identifier: 19723 (unknown)
Format: Betacam: SP
Generation: Master
Duration: 00:27:30
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Citations
Chicago: “OnQ; 4025,” 2003-02-24, WQED, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed May 14, 2026, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-120-128935zf.
MLA: “OnQ; 4025.” 2003-02-24. WQED, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. May 14, 2026. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-120-128935zf>.
APA: OnQ; 4025. Boston, MA: WQED, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-120-128935zf