Mia Eorak Slavenska, born in Croatia, a child star at 4 in Croatia’s capital Zagreb, became a solo dancer at 12, prima ballerina at Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb at 18, starred as prima ballerina of the Ballet Russe in Paris, Ballet Theatre, London Festival Ballet. Organized her first ballet company at 12. With Slavenska-Franklin Ballet , created dance history with the ballet A Streetcar Named Desire . Mia was fluent in five languages. She also starred in the prize-winning French film, Ballerina (in French La Mort du Cygne ), considered one of the best ballet films ever made.
Category: Music
Yamato Japanese drummers in Croatia with students of Japanology University of Zagreb Feb 2012
Yamato in Zagreb again, receiving Croatian Hearts as gifts from students of Japanology at the University of Zagreb. On the left a young lady from the Yamato Drummers group – Madoka Higashi, proudly showing her souvenir from Zagreb. Many thanks to our dear friend Mr. Oskar Šarunić to have recorded this very nice event in Croatia’s capital.
Collegium pro musica sacra Croatian choir founded in 1972 celebrates 40 years of existence
Collegium pro musica sacra, Croatian choir specialised for churhc music ranging from Gregorian coral to modern sacral music, with a special emphasis on Croatian church music,ÂÂ has been founded in 1972, ie. 40 years ago. It was founded by s. Imakulata Malinka on the photo, who directed the choir until 1999, and since then until 2010 it was directed by s. Cecilija Pleša. Now the Collegium pro musica sacra is conducted by Iva Juras, prof. The choir has won silver medals at the Internation choir competition in Jerusalem, Israel, in 1996, then in Bremen in 2004in Rome 2009, and gold medal at the International competition of choirs held in Bratislava, Slovakia, in 2010.
Boris Papandopulo Croatian composer interpreted by American pianist Nicholas Phillips 25 Feb 2012 Houston TX
You are cordially invited to an evening of CROATIAN PIANO MUSIC with up and coming American concert pianist – Wisconsin’s own NICHOLAS PHILLIPS. Nick will be performing works of renowned 20th Century Croatian composer – BORIS PAPANDOPULO 1906-1991. He was the son of the Greek noble Konstantin Papandopulo and the Croatian opera singer Maja Strozzi-Pečić. He studied composing in Zagreb and conducting in Vienna. Papandopulo led the chores “Kolo” from Zagreb and “Zvonimir” in Split and was also the director of the Croatian National Opera and the conductor of the Radio Croatia Symphonic Orchestra. He directed and conducted the Operas in Rijeka, Sarajevo, Zagreb and Split.
Lovro von Matacic 1899-1985 great Croatian conductor
Lovro von Matačić collaborated with Arthur Rubinstein, Christian Ferras and Rudolf Buchbinder, Marijana Radev, Ruža Pospiš Baldani, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Christa Ludwig, … He recorded for labels such as Columbia and Supraphon. Although Anton Bruckner was at the top of the list for his symphony and concert repertorie and Richard Wagner, along with his favorite „Orpheus“ by Ch. W. Gluck and JanA!eek’s “Jenufa” at the top of his opera repertorie, Lovro von Matačić’s interest covered a huge span from Palestrina, Monteverdi and Henry Purcell, through Handel, Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven to Mussorgsky, Mahlera, Janáèek, Smetana, R. Strauss, Wagner, Verdi and others. He was especially dedicated to performing Croatian authors.
Sena Jurinac 1921-2011 legendary Croatian artist who shaped the entire opera world
Sena Jurinac was educated as an opera singer in Croatia’s capital Zagreb, where she started her opera career in 1943. Since 1945 she was singing for the State Opera in Vienna, until 1982 when she retired. Dominique Meyer, director of the Vienna State Opera, said the following on the occasion of death of Sena Jurinac: “We are mourning the loss of a legendary artist who shaped not only the Vienna State Opera, but also the entire opera world,’’ She died on 22 November 2011 at the age of 90.
Klapa Grdelin in Croatia's capital Zagreb singing Dalmatian songs
Klapa Grdelin was founded in Zagreb in February 2000. Throughout the years Grdelin has been exploring and expanding its repertoire that was performed at many concerts and festivals. The repertoire includes original Dalmatian songs arranged by famous composers and ethnomusicologists (Jakov Gotovac, Ljubo Stipišić, Dinko Fio, Duško Tambača and others), popular tunes adapted for klapa singing, traditional folk tunes of Lent and Christmas. Grdelin has found a valuable source of songs in the rich musical heritage of the city of Split and its surrounding area.
Martina Filjak, Zagreb Croatia, on a world tour starting January 2012
One of the most exciting young artists to emerge in recent years, Martina Filjak is garnering international praise for her poetic passion and technical mastery at the keyboard as well as for her charismatic personality and magnetic stage presence. Her transition from prodigy to mature artist has been all the more remarkable against the backdrop of political maelstrom that defined her native Croatia during her childhood. … Martina speaks seven languages. Fortunately, for an active performer, she loves to travel.
Zdenko Basic distinguished Croatian animator and illustrator of children's books
Zdenko Bašić (1980, Zagreb) has graduated in 2005 at the Academy of Fine Arts, Department for Animated Film and New Media. He’s an award-winning animator and illustrator of many children’s books and magazines; predominantly Andersen and Grimm’s fairy tales. His illustrated book ‘Alice in Wonderland’ for the British, American and French publishing market has been launched in 2010 by Carlton Publisher.
Dr Jelka Vince Croatian scientist singing a Christmas song in Zagreb
Dr Jelka Vince is Croatian scientist working in the fields of ethnology and anthropology. She is also fine guitarist and singer. Dr Vince participated at the Christams Concert in December 2011 in the church of St. Jerome in the city of Zagreb. She is also very active in Croatian Society of University Women, where she serves as coordinator for international relations.
Tarara: Croats and Maori in New Zealand, monograph by Senka Bozic-Vrbancic
Maori called us Tarara. , as we speak so fast… At the beginning of the twentieth century, as Croatians left Dalmatia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire for the brave new world of New Zealand, Drawing from official documents, oral histories, novels, letters, newspaper articles, marriage certificates, and much more, Senka Bozic-Vrbancic on the photo explores relationships between Maori and Croats. How has their collective identity been shaped by changing legal regulations from colonial times to the bi cultural New Zealand of today? Croatian and Maori Christmas concert for 2011 in New Zealand. Dame Mira Szászy b. Petričević was the first Maori woman with university degree. Her father was Croatian.
Argentinean Croats presented on YouTube by Studia Croatica
Joza Vrljieak, indefatiguable director of Studia Croatica society in Buenos Aires, sent us a set of 39 videos describing rich cultural activities of Argentinean Croats. On the photo the logo of Jorgovan, which is one of very active and successful Croatian cultural societies in Argentina. We also provide a few recepies of Croatian sweets that are popular in Argentina, hoping that they could be useful for your family for the celebration of the forthcoming Christmas and New Year.
Dinko Fio 1924-2011 distinguished Croatian composer and conductor died at the age of 87
Dinko Fio ostvario je i obiman skladateljski opus na temeljima tradicijske glazbe, a neke njegove pjesme toliko su povezane s tradicijom da ih se često smatra izvornim napjevima. Njegov autorski opus objavljen je u jedanaest zbirki i na tridesetak diskografskih izdanja. Kao melograf i obrađivač spasio je od zaborava neke od najljepših narodnih napjeva iz Dalmacije, zapisao ih te priredio za izvedbe dalmatinskih klapa i zborova.
2 Cellos Luka Sulić & Stjepan Hauser 2 Croatian Geniuses conquering the world!
This kind of musical meteor happens once in a generation! I listened to this album “2 cellos Luka Sulić & Stjepan Hauser” many times. Each song is a cinematic journey through melodies and rhythms of centuries accumulated knowledge of cello playing. Strength: Level of performance, original arrangements, not-in-the-way-of-art production. Weakness: None. In one word: PERFECT. Buy this album and enjoy it.
Ljubo Stipisic Delmata 1938-2011 distinguished composer and proponent of Croatian music and spirituality
Ljubo Stipišić Delmata’s personality contains a multitude of traits: composer, poet, melodiographer, painter, producer, conductor of a-capella ensembles, etc. Maestro Delmata has been honored numerous prestigious music awards including several lifetime achievement awards. His work is of immeasurable musicological and cultural importance, especially for preservation and strengthening of the identity of Croatia. Maestro Ljubo Stipišić died on October 9th 2011 at the age of 74.
Nenad Bach Band and Marci Geller at Towne Crier Cafe September 30, 2011
The Nenad Bach Band will be returning to one of their favorite haunts, the Towne Crier on Friday September 30th. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $17.50 in advance and $22.50 at the door. The Towne Crier is located on 130 Route 22, Pawling, New York. Opening the show and joining the band will be special guest Marci Geller, one of Nenad’s favorite singers. Marci is something to marvel at.
Concerts for Japan in Croatia 2011
Humanitarian concerts for Japan have been organized in Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Osijek, Varaždin, Đakovo, Opatija, Virovitica, Rab.
Valter Despalj distinguished Croatian cellist started ensemble project Cellomania in Zagreb in 1991
Valter Dešpalj is professor at the Zagreb Academy of Music. he has also been a guest professor at the conservatories in The Hague, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Graz (University of Music), editor of cello music with major music publishers, and member of judging panels at the most prestigious international competitions including Tchaikovsky (Moscow), Bach (Leipzig), Lutoslawski (Warsaw) and ARD (Munich) competitions. It was 20 years ago that maestro Dešpalj started the project of Cellomania Croata.
Epidaurus Festival in Cavtat childhood dream of Croatian pianist and poet Ivana Marija Vidovic
My wish is that every sound produced at Epidaurus Festival would merge with Cavtat’s magical hug, and that every word, every verse, whether sung or spoken, would, for centuries to come, continue to echo throughout its old streets, the very same ones that – within and of themselves – had been a stage for centuries already. Ivana Marija Vidović, Artistic director of the Epidaurus festival.
Festival Kvarner a new meeting point of artists and scholars in Opatija, Croatia
The idea of the artistic exchange on a European level is revived in our Festival in the Kvarner region in Croatia. The fact that many composers, such as Mahler, Puccini, Lehar, Kalman, etc., who, over the course of history, have stayed here and have been inspired by the picturesque landscape and the Mediterranean flair proves that this location is perfectly suitable for music: history provides us with the evidence that our idea has a good basis. On the photo Vjekoslav Martinko, Lovran, president of the Festival Kvarner. Director of the Festival is dr. Michael Fendre, Vienna.