The city of Toba in Japan has a high school attended by 169 students. Yoko Nishii, living in the city of Ise close to Toba, has delivered a lecture about Croatia, its history and culture, repeated for all six classes of the school (on 25th and 26th October, 2020). Yoko Nishii has prepared 150 beautiful slides dealing with Croatia. She is not only fluent in Croatian language, but as a pianist she visited almost every corner of Croatia: she had as many as 49 soloist concerts in 24 cities throughout the country.
Category: Culture And Arts
Japan remembering Vladimir Devide 1925-2010 Croatian haiku poet and mathematician
Mihovil Rismondo, Croatian painter from the city of Split (age 71), painted twelve canvases inspired by haiku poetry, under the auspices of Japanese Embassy in Croatia and the Tourist Association of the city of Zagreb. In this way, ten years since the death of Vladimir Devide have been marked, a well known Croatian haiku and mathematician. He was the greatest promoter of Japanese culture in Croatia. For his contributions in popularization of Japanese culture he was awarded the prestigious Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure – Konsanto Zuihosho.
14th Epidaurus Festival organized in Cavtat on September 5-12, 2020
U subotu 5. rujna, po prvi puta u predvorju Kneževa dvora u Cavtatu, organiziramo svečano otvorenje 14. Epidaurus festivala. Njime među inim obilježavamo 130. obljetnica rođenja proslavljenog cavtačanina Tina Pattiere, koji nas je ne samo zadužio nego i podučio svojim primjerom kako moramo ustrajati u stvaranju umjetnosti i ljepote oko nas. Dijelić života ovog markantnog i sjajnog tenora će nam Franica Krampus Vidović, dugogodišnja profesorica Povijesti glazbe u Umjetničkoj školi Luke Sorkočevića u Dubrovniku, koja je i sama autorica brojnih studija i članaka o još uvijek nedovoljno poznatom pjevaču zlatnoga grla. Ostanite zdravo i raspjevano! Dobrodošli u Cavtat! The founder and artistic director of the Festival is Ivana Marija Vidović, on the photo.
Ante Glibota 1945-2020 distinguished Croatian patriot and historian of art and architecture
Mr. Ante Glibota, born in the town of Slivno in 1945, distinguished Croatian patriot and intellectual, passed away in Paris in 2020. According to the data provided by Mr. Glibota himself in 2017, during his appearance at the Croatian TV, his opus consists among others of about 220 books and catalogues published in some 15 languages (more than hundred of them in China only) and of about 550 large exhibitions organized throughout the world. His achievements are all the more impressive in the light of the fact that as a young person he spent two years in ex-Yugoslav communist prison (1972-1974).
Vukovar hosting fantastic Japanese Ningyo dolls exhibition 2020
The exhibition of beautiful Japanese Ningyo dolls has been opened on August 27th, 2020 in the city of Vukovar in the presence of Her Excellency Misako Kaji (on the photo), ambassador of Japan to Croatia. The exhbition will be opened until Septemeber 27th. Japan has a long and rich tradition of the art of dolls. It is not widely known that one of the most interesting collections of dolls representing national costumes of various countries throughout the world is kept in Croatia’s capital Zagreb, in Ethnographic Museum, collected by Ljeposlav Perinić – The King of Dolls.
Nenad Bach International Newsletter No. 56: Post COVID?
“Nenad, Who Plays Ping Pong” is a short film about my passion for ping pong and using it to help those afflicted with Parkinson’s. It is an Official Selection of 2020 Mountainfilm Festival, and was chosen Daily Short Pick on FilmShortage.com, May 27th, 2020. The film is touring and was screened last week in Sao Paulo, Brazil and will be touring August 24-26 in Southampton, New York, US. You can get more information here. We are now fortunate to have the film subtitled in 15 languages. My songs “Vukovar” “Everything is Forever” and “I Will Follow” were recently played by musical genius Pete Jones on his radio program in London.
Jelko Yuresha 1937 – 2020 distinguished Croatian ballet dancer
Belinda Wright and Jelko Yuresha (on the photo), English and Croatian dancers, established partnership as “Ambassadors of Dance”, performing throughout the world. Jelko Yuresha, born in Croatia’s capital Zagreb, studied ballet under Ana Roje, Nadine Nicolaeva Legat, Kathleen Crofton, Tamara Karsavina and worked with choreograhphers Leonid Massine, Vladimir Bourmeister, Frederick Ashton, Serge Lifar, Bronislava Nijinska. He appeared with Margot Fonteyn in the BBC-TV production of “Sleeping Beauty” (1959), was The Principal Dancer of The English National Ballet (previously London Festival Ballet) and danced Principal roles with British Royal Ballet.
St. Jerome and his importance for Croatians
St. Jerome, one of the most important spiritual writers of the Western Civilization, who translated the Bible into the Latin language, died in 420 AD. His importance for Croatia is analogous to that of St. Martin for France (who died in 397 AD). St. Jerome entered into the history of Croatian literature already in the Middle Ages. In Croatian lands there are as many as 63 sacral objects bearing the name of this saint. The present Papal Croatian Department of St. Jerome in Rome has its roots from the time of Pope Sixto V (end of 16th ct.), who was of Croatian origin. Protector of theologians, librarians, teachers and students, St. Jerome is celebrated on 30th of September.
Mia Slavenska 1916-2002 Croatian ballet prodigy
Mia Slavenska, the greatest Croatian female classical dancer in history, was born in Brod na Savi, Croatia, on February 20, 1916, the daughter of Milan and Heddwiga (Palme) Eorak. Her early teachers include Josephina Weiss, former Ballerina of the Vienna State Opera, Margarita Froman, ballerina of the Bolshoi and Maximilian Froman, soloist of the Bolshoi. Mia Slavenska was a student at the Royal Academy of Music, Zagreb, Croatia for five years, where she majored in piano. She studied ballet in both Vienna and Paris. She came to the United States in 1939 and was naturalized in 1947. She married Kurt Neumann and had one daughter, Maria. We draw your attention to an excellent film Mia Slavenska – A Dancer’s Journey (60 min.) , by Maria Ramas and Kate Johnson.
Journal of Croatian Studies founded in New York in 1960
The Journal of Croatian Studies is a scholarly publication dedicated to Croatian history and culture. It covers a broad range of fields, including history, literature, fine arts, music, philology, philosophy and political science. It also publishes documents of historical and cultural significance to Croatian Americans and their descendants. The present editors-in-chief of the Journal of Croatian Studies are VInko Grubisic and John Kraljic (on the photo). The journal is published by the Croatian Acadmey of America, established in 1953 in New York.
Studia Croatica journal founded in Buenos Aires in 1960
With this article we mark 60th anniversary of Studia Croatica , founded in 1960 in Buenos Aires. The journal has been founded by Croataian emmigrants. Its editors in chief were Ivo Bogdan (1960-1971), Franjo Nevistić (1971-1984), Radovan Latković (1984-1994), Joza Vrljičak (1995 till today, 2020, on the photo). Among numerous collaborators we mention Ernest Bauer, Rafo Bogišić, Gojko Borić, Christophe Dolbeau, Jozo Kljaković, Kristian Kreković, Mateo Martinic, Ivan Meštrović, C. Michael McAdams, Vinko Nikolić, Bogdan Radica, Zdravko Sančević, Carl Gustav Stroehm, Franjo Tuđman, Carmen Verlichak, Viktor Vida. In 2020, August Šenoa’s novel Zlatarevo zlato (Goldsmith’s Treasure) has been translated into Castilian: El Tesoro del Orfebre .
Marijana Grisnik Croatian painter from Strawberry Hill in Kansas City USA
Marijana Grišnik (b. Pintar) is a woman with strong ties both to Strawberry Hill and the ethnic heritage of its people. All four of her grandparents immigrated to Kansas City from Croatia. According to Marijana, “I was very fortunate in that my mother shared me with the people on the Hill. They all seemed to have a hand in raising me.” As a child Marijana loved to sketch the sights of Strawberry Hill. It was, however, after the birth of her third child that she began painting her memories of growing up on Strawberry Hill. Through her canvases this self-taught artist has become the storyteller of this ethnic community.
Zoran Orlic world class music photographer: Live From Chicago!
The Croatian-born photographer relocated to Chicago at an early age and began photographing bands in college. As a young musician might, he took his mantra seriously: practice, practice, practice. It wasn’t until he chanced upon the work of one of the greatest rock photographers of all time that lightning struck, and he realized what he wanted to do with his life. “I shot Jeff,” Orlic says of his first photo shoot with Wilco’s founder, Jeff Tweedy. “They liked it, and the rest is history. I just kind of never left.” From the perspective of the bands and record labels for whom he works, Orlic’s easygoing manner and ability to produce images efficiently and without getting in the way are equally as important as his artistic prowess.
Yoko Nishii plays Sergei Rachmaninov
I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to all others who have assisted and supported me in various ways in making this CD. In particular, great support was given by Tokamachi City which is known as a host town for Croatia for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Croatia is my second home where I’d studied and spent seven years. Tokamachi City has a warm friendship with Croatia since the 2002 FIFA World Cup and it was really special for me to get a chance to make the recording at such a city. I hope that this CD would contribute to a further development of a beautiful friendship between Japan and Croatia.
Ljubo Krasic 1938-2020 Croatian Franciscan founder of Croatian Schools of America and Canada
Krasić’s contribution to the formative period of Croatian language instruction abroad was massive and aimed at promoting our language and culture in North America. He left his homeland with a broad educational background and worked in the frame of Catholic missions in the Croatian communities on the dissemination of our language and culture in the anglophone world, all whilst discharging his complex parish duties while resident in the USA and in Canada. He enriched his new home through the organisation of Croatian language instruction and the printing of textbooks, magazines and books. (Dr. Vinko Grubišić.)
1141 years since the first international recognition of Croatia: 879 – 2020
The Croatian Prince Branimir, 9th century, made important steps in strengthening the relations with Rome. During the solemn divine service in St. Peter’s church in Rome in 879, Pope John VIII gave his blessing to the prince and the whole Croatian people, about which he informed Branimir in his letters, the first one dated on May 21, 879. This was the first time that the Croatian state was officially recognized (at that time the international legitimacy was given by the Pope), which, as we see, happened more than eleven centuries ago! In his letter dated from 881 the Pope addressed Branimir as the “glorious prince”.
Ragusa (Dubrovnik) in Croatia and Ragusa on the island of Sicily in Italy
The article deals with erroneous interpretation of the Ragusa veduta dating from 1695, kept at the National and University Library in Zagreb, Croatia (and there are numerous copies kept in other European libraries, the first edition originating from 1638). It was published Matthaeus Merian Sr., but it does not represent the city of Dubrovnik (Ragusa) in Croatia, but Ragusa on the island of Sicily in Italy. Most of the authors do not distinguish between Matthaeus Merian Sr. and his son Matthaeus Merian Jr., which has caused numerous mistakes and contradictions. It is interesting that Matthaeus Merian Jr. (on the photo) prepared a well known veduta of the city of Dubrovnik (Ragusa in Croatia) in flames, after the 1667 earthquake, and not his father (who has died 17 years earlier, in 1650).
Tomislav Tom Gabric 1933-2019 distinguished Croatian architect in California, USA
Tomislav Gabric was born in the town of Metković in Croatia in 1933. He moved to the United States in 1962 to start his career in Los Angeles, California. Tomislav Gabric and his wife Lea married in 1964. They have one daughter Carole (Gabrić-Lewis). Mr. Gabric moved his architectural firm, Gabric & Associates to Corona around 1997. The firm is located at 903 South Ramona Ave in Corona. He completed as many as 1600 professional projects of various buildings throughout California. He was also a talented painter. On the left is his autoportrait from 1989.
The city of Zagreb struck in 2020 with the earthquake of 5.5 degrees on the Richter scale
As if the vicious corona pandemic was not enough! In March 22nd 2020, at 6:24 AM, the city of Zagreb was suddenly struck with the earthquake of 5.5 degrees on the Richter scale. This was the strongest earthquake in Croatia’s capital since 1880. We mention in passing another earthquake in Zagreb 1909, which was quite important, since it led Croatian scientist Andrija Mohorovičić to the discovery of the MOHO layer, conisdered as the most important discovery in the history of seismology (the science about earthquakes). The 2020 earthquake brought a lots of damage to the city, easpecially to its central part. During the period of one month only, Zagreb has experienced as many as eight hundred additonal smaller earthquakes and tremors. The earthquake damage is estimated at 5.52 billion Euros.