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Dr. Drago Štambuk on an official visit to Kobe, Japan
http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/9534/1/Dr-Drago-tambuk-on-an-official-visit-to--Kobe-Japan.html
By Prof.Dr. Darko Zubrinic
Published on 04/22/2008
 
Dr. Drago Štambuk, Croatian Ambassador to Japan, was warmly welcomed at the Kwansei Gakuin University during his official visit to Kobe. One of the best Japanese choirs sang in his honour U Boj, u boj in Croatian language. This Croatian tune is well known throughout Japan, sung in this country since 1919!
One of the best Japanese choirs singing Croatian tune U boj, u boj


Professor Ruth Grubel, Chancellor of The Kwansei Gakuin Univeristy in Kobe, hosting welcome lunch in honour of Dr. Drago Štambuk, Croatian ambassador to Japan, April 2008.

 

Tragom Zajčeve arije "U boj, u boj" u Japanu

Tokyo, 9. travnja 2008.

Tijekom upravo završenog službenog posjeta Kobeu, lučkom gradu na jugozapadnom rubu gospodarski najrazvijenije japanske regije Kansai, veleposlanik RH u Japanu dr. Drago Štambuk posjetio je i Kwansei Gakuin sveučilište, u kojemu od 1899. godine djeluje Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club (Kwansei ili Kansai, ime regije u srednjem Honšu; Gakuin, škola; Glee Club, zbor), najstariji i jedan od najrenomiranijih muških zborova u Japanu, nama posebno značajan po tome što je prvi koji je počeo izvoditi ariju "U boj, u boj" iz Zajčeve opere "Nikola Šubić Zrinski".

Naime, arija "U boj, u boj" krenula je u osvajanje Japana iz luke Kobe daleke 1919. godine, nakon što je austrougarski vojni brod po povratku s istočnoga fronta, a nakon oluje u Japanskom moru, po oštećenju proveo dva mjeseca na remontu u luci grada Kobea. Člana zbora Kwansei Gakuin sveučilišta impresionirala je izvedba Zajčeve arije od strane hrvatskih mornara, pa ju je uvrstio u repertoar svojega zbora. Bez saznanja o njegovom podrijetlu, napjev se prenosio s generacije na generaciju kao "češka narodna pjesma". Tek pola stoljeća naknadno, točnije 1972. godine, Japanci su saznali da je "U boj, u boj" arija iz hrvatske nacionalne opere "Nikola Šubić Zrinski", koju je skladao Ivan pl. Zajc.

"U boj, u boj" danas je u Japanu sinonim za Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club i jedan je od najpopularnijih napjeva među japanskim muškim zborovima. Kwanesi Gakuin Glee Club sa spomenutom arijom završi svaki javni nastup, a njenom izvedbom ostvarili su i pobjede na državnom takmičenju zborova, te osvojili niz zlatnih zborskih medalja. U čast posjeta hrvatskoga Veleposlanika šezdeset članova zbora izvelo je "U boj, u boj" na stepeništu ispred središnje zgrade Sveučilišta, a u pjevanju im se pridružio i veleposlanik Štambuk.




Dr. Drago Štambuk with professor Ruth Grubel, Chancellor of The Kwansei Gakuin Univeristy in Kobe, and with the management of the Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club. Singers of the Glee Club choir are in a solemn row.




Dr. Drago Štambuk with his hosts in front of the main building of The Kwansei Gakuin Univeristy in Kobe.




Mastery for Service


Dr. Drago Štambuk with singers of the choir Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club.


Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club is one of the best male choirs in entire Japan. And as a rule, each public performance is finished by their beloved Croatian tune U boj, uboj, which they sing in Croatian language.

Please, go to the next page below.

Dr. Drago Štambuk with Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club, a top Japanese male choir


Dr. Drago Štambuk singing U boj, u boj with Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club in Croatian.


This very nice photo taken in front of The Kwansei Gakuin University in Kobe tells us more than words can express. Musical interpretations of the famous Croatian tune U boj, u boj by Japanese choirs are indeed of amazing quality. The song is known in this country since 1919. For more details see U BOJ web page where you can also listen to it.


Dr. Drago Štambuk in a very friendly atmosphere in a room of the Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club. On the far left is its director Jun Karube, left of Dr. Štambuk is the Dean of the University and professor Soichi Sugihara, and an alumni on the right.

Formated for CROWN by prof.dr. Darko Žubrinić
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