After defeating Nigeria 2 – 0, Croatia achieved sensational 3 – 0 result against a very strong Argentinean team, led by Messi, the best contemporary soccer player. Some of the Croatian players are of world-wide fame, like Luka Modrić (captain), Ivan Rakitić (on the photo), Mario Mandžukić, Ivan Perišić, Dejan Lovren, Mateo Kovačić etc., directed by Zlatko Dalić as a coach. The match took place in Nižni Novgorod in the Russian Federation. The greatest Croatian success at previous FIFA World Cup championships was achieved in 1998, when our national team won the third place, with players such as Davor Šuker, Zvonimir Boban, Slaven Bilić etc., under the baton of Ćiro Blažević.
Author: Nenad N. Bach and Darko Žubrinić
Mario Juric distinguished Croatian astrophysicist & the leader of the Data Management team for LSST
I’m interested in astronomical ‘Big Data'(TM): developing and applying methods and algorithms that let us use large data sets to answer research questions. Major astronomical surveys of today are routinely collecting hundreds of terabytes of images, creating databases with billions of objects and several billion measurements. Large surveys astronomers are becoming part data scientists. In my research, I go where the data takes me -EUR” I’ve worked on topics ranging from asteroids in the Solar System, Galactic structure, to the scale structure of the universe.
Jakov Radovcic distinguished Croatian paleonthologist and an expert in the Neanderthal culture
NEANDERTHALS represent a magical and mystical idea of the prehistoric people of Europe. They are one of the many secrets of the beginning of our species. Who were those people who lived between 30,000 and almost 300,000 years ago? How did 19th century science discover and interpret the finds and what do we know now, at the beginning of the third millennium, about these Stone Age people who used to hunt for rhinoceros in this area 125,000 years ago? If you want to find out the answers to these questions, visit the new KRAPINA NEANDERTHAL MUSEUM, in Krapina, in Croatia! On the photo Jakov Radovčić, the leading Croatian paleonthologist, a discoverer of the Neanderthal jewelry.
Louis Zorich the USA veteran stage actor has died in New York in 2018 at the age of 93
Louis Zorich was born on February 12, 1924 and died on January 30, 2018. He was an American actor. He is perhaps best known to television audiences for his portrayal of Paul Reiser’s father, Burt Buchman, on the NBC series Mad About You. He played the role from 1993 to 1999. Zorich was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Croatian immigrants Anna (nee Gledi) and Christ Zorich. He was Broadway veteran and the husband of Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis, he also starred on TV’s ‘Brooklyn Bridge.’
Stjepan Radic 1871-1928 a great Croatian politician, humanist and martyr
In 2018 we commemorate a tragic death of Stjepan Radić, one of the greatest Croatian politicians and humanists in history (on the photo with his grandchildren), assassinated in 1928 in the Belgrade Parliament. We provide an articl written by Dr. Ante Cuvalo, an information about a new street in the Prague bearing his name (and his wife Marija was a Czech schoolteacher), as well as an article about him written by a Danish writer Karin Michaelis, who used to know his family in person. We conclude the article with a very interesting article of Stjepan Radić about the Russian Branch of the noble Croatian family of Jelačić.
Alojzije Prosoli organizing 16th Dvigrad Festival of Early Music in June and July 2018
Participating the 16th International Dvigrad Festival of Early Music are Ensemble Dialogos with Katarina Livljanić (Fr), Ensemble Antonima Frottolisti (It), Ensemble Lucidarium (It), Centotrecento Ensemble (It), Elena Roce, soprano, and Ema Stein, Renaissance lute, Ensemble Responsorium (Hr), Capella Sanctae Sophiae (Hr). The Festival is organized under the auspices of Kolinda Grabar Kitarović, president of the Republic of Croatia. Alojzije Prosoli is the founder and director of the International Dvigrad Festival of Early Music, as well as of the Musica Sacra (Sveta glazba) association in Zagreb. The town of Dvigrad is placed in Istrian peninsula on the SW of Croatia, not far from the city of Pula.
Miro Gavran to have premieres in Cuba, the Netherlands, Romania, Macedonia and Kosovo, May & June 2018
Miro Gavran: “It is a great pleasure to have five foreign premieres in such different cultures in short period of time. I am very happy to have my first premiere in Cuba which I can thank Zeljka Lovrencic. I am also happy to have another Dutch premiere after 30 years which wouldn’t be possible without the help from Sanja Kregar who published several books of my prose in Amsterdam in last few years. Premieres in Romania, Macedonia and Kosovo and extension of successful cooperation so far. …” With these performances Miro Gavran confirmed that he is the most performed Croatian writer in Croatia and abroad. His work has been translated into 40 languages.
Zvonimir Mihanovic distinguished Croatian hyper-realistic painter living in the city of Split
After completing his elementary and high school education in Split, Croatia Mihanovic went to Paris in 1971 to study at the L’Ecole des beaux-arts. Major galleries in the United States promote his art and organizing exhibitions, including galleries in New York, Chicago, Palm Beach, Beverly Hills, and Aspen. He is represented by Mihanovic International of Aspen, Colorado, USA. Mihanovic’s distinctive style of painting, recognized by art critics as a particular expression of contemporary hyper-realism, places him among the most sought after and in-demand artists in the world today. As a colorist, he is creative and unsurpassed, capturing not only detail but exact and precise colors.
Danica Kragic professor of robotics at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden
Danica Kragic is a Professor at the School of Computer Science and Communication at the Royal Institute of Technology, KTH. She received MSc in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Rijeka, Croatia in 1995 and PhD in Computer Science from KTH in 2001. She has been a visiting researcher at Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, Brown University and INRIA Rennes. She is the Director of the Centre for Autonomous Systems and a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and founding member of the Young Academy of Sweden.
When you want to lift your spirits sky high, come to Croatia!
Visit the city where Marin Čilić found his love! Visit and discover Mario Mandžukić’s Slavonia and its tremendous food and wine. Visit the National Parks approved by Ivan Rakitic. See a concert in Pula’s Arena -– approved by the 2CELLOS. Visit the birth town of Luka Modrić (on the photo). Hit the basket on Dražen Petrović’’s court like Dario Šarić. See one of the most beautiful Croatian buildings in the birth town of Dario Šarić. Visit one of the sunniest coast lines in Euope and find out who is the biggest Croatian musician in Croatia and it’s not Maksim Mrvica.
Ana Vidovic playing extremely demanding Grande Ouverture Op. 61 by Mauro Giuliani
Ana Vidović, distinguished Croatian guitarist, continues to surprise us with a variety and quality of her classical guitar interpretations of famous composers. We provide a small collection of videos describing her unprecedented success throughtout the world, ranking her among the best contemporary classical guitar musicians. She was born in the city of Karlovac in Croatia, and completed the study of classical guitar at the Academy of Music of the University of Zagreb, which she inscribed at the age of 13! We also provide an interesting interview with Ana conducted by Benjamin Verdery.
Goran Koncar distinguished Croatian violinist
Goran Konear started his international soloist career in 1982, undertaking guest tours in most European countries, the USA, Japan and Israel. In the period from 1984 to 1994 he was concert master of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, the Croatian Radio & Television Symphony Orchestra and the Zagreb Philharmonic. He also performed in many concerts with eminent orchestras and conductors throughout the world. He is the recipient of the Music Life award in Moscow (1980) for the performance of the Concerto for the Violin and Orchestra by Dmitri Shostakovich, the first prize at the International Competition in Bratislava (1984) and other top acknowledgments.
Ratimir Mocnaj 1935-2018 deserving member of AMCA Quebec and of the CROWN family passed away
Born and educated in Zagreb, Croatia, Ratimir Mocnaj enjoyed a long and successful career as a chemical engineer first in Germany, and then his second home, Canada. He was a deserving member of the AMCA Quebec (AMCA = Almae Matris Croaticae Alumni) in Canada, as well as of the CROWN (Croatian World Network), where he served as a moderator of the Croatian World Calendar web iste, initiated by Nenad Bach. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Ana, children, Mark (Maa), Christine (Sylvain), granddaughter Sophie, his step-granddaughter Elisabeth (Anthony), and many friends and extended family.
Ida Gamulin distinguished Croatian pianist
Known for her personality and profound musicianship, Ida Gamulin has established herself among the leading Croatian pianists. Her extensive repertoire ranged from baroque to contemporary, and she is acclaimed for her appearances with major symphony orchestras, as recitalist, chamber musician and recording artist. Her concert tours have taken her to almost all European countries, in the USA, Asia and South Africa. Apart from her solo career, Ida Gamulin has been full-professor at the Zagreb Music Academy and president of EPTA Croatia since 2004.
Filip Cvitic and his Fabula Shop promoting Croatian cultural heritage
Fabula Shop is a new E-Commerce platform on which the native and foreign customers have access to high-quality gifts with stories that promote Croatian cultural heritage. Fabula Shop gathers people who have an interest in products with Croatian background and products which promote Croatian cultural heritage. Here you will find authentic jewelry, museum tickets, souvenirs, clothes, illustrations, books and services connected with culture of Croatia. Currently the physical products are available for delivery in entire Europe, and the digital ones in the whole world.
Ante Glibota's hommage to Otto Piene and his HÉLIOGABALUS Berlin 18th April – 30th June 2018
THE NIGHTS OF HELIOGABALUS is homage to Otto Piene on what would have been his 90th birthday (1928-2014) . Poems by Fernando Arrabal, text by Ante Glibota (on the photo), lithographs by Otto Piene, and sculptures by Andreas Blank and Stefan Rinck. This artistic dialogue between the visual arts and poetry was conceived by Ante Glibota. Ante Glibota, a close friend of Otto Piene, will attend the opening and give an introduction. Schlachthaus.fresh&fine art will open its new exhibition space at Budapester StrassYe 10 in Berlin Charlottenburg. Opening: 18th April 2018, duration of the exhibition: 19th April -EUR” 30 June 2018.
Miro Gavran's plays "The Doll" and "Death of an Actor" published in Hindi in Jaipur, India 2018
“The Doll” and “Death of an Actor” – two popular plays written by Miro Gavran were published as two books in hardcover in Hindi in Jaipur, India. Publisher is Bodi Prakash. Both of these were translated into hindi by Saurabh Srivastava. Gavran’s plays had performances all around India – from Mumbai to Puni and Hyderabad, Assam and Bangalore in the last 15 years. This is first time that his texts were published as books in India.
Ivana Marija Vidovic, Vesna Miletic and Marko Mandir have concerts in Kostrena and Maribor on 17 & 21 May
Pijanistice Ivana Marija Vidović i Vesna Miletić održat će dva koncerta, u četvrtak 17. svibnja u foyeru Narodne čitaonice u Kostreni sv.Luciji s početkom u 20 sati te u Kazinskoj dvorani Slovenskog Narodnog gledališča u Mariboru u ponedjeljak 21.svibnja, 2018. s početkom u 19.30. Na koncertu u Kostreni izvodit će djela F.Schuberta, F.Liszta, E.Satieja, ali poglavito djela C. Debussyija gdje će uz dvo i četveroručni nastup na klaviru pjesnikinje Vesna Miculinić Prešnjak i Ivana Marija Vidović čitati i odabrane stihove koji su nadahnuli Debussyija u njegovu stvaranju. U Mariboru će Vidović i Miletić nastupiti s hrvatskim opernim pjevačem Markom Mandirom.
Ivana Marija Vidovic in Cajizo i Málaga in Spain on March 19th and 20th 2018
An evening of French Romantic music for voice (Simona Mango – mezzo-soprano), flute (Giuseppe Nova) and piano (Ivana Marija Vidovic). Songs by Ravel, Caplet, Delibes, Massenet, Debussy; arias and instrumental pieces from the opera Carmen by Bizet and the famous Carmen Fantasy by Borne. A high level international trio, a wonderful selection of musical jewels, an absolutely stunning concert hall…
Ivan Saric of Croatia European Chess Champion for 2018
Croatian chess player Ivan Šarić (27) won the European title for 2018 in Georgia, during the European Chess Championships organized in the city of Batumi. Along with the European title of Zvonko Kožul in 2006, this is the greatest success of Croatian chess. He won the title of Under 18 World Youth Chess Champion in 2008. He holds a notable victory over the world champion Magnus Carlsen, which he achieved at the 2014 Chess Olympiad in Norway. On the photo Ivan Šarić with his wife Zrinka Deur, who is also a chess player.