MAKSIM MRVICA

Zvijezda je rodena
Mladi sibenski pijanist silovito osvaja svjetsku glazbenu scenu: njegov spot 'Bumbarov let' 12. svibnja imao je premijeru na MTV-u, a dva dana kasnije u londonskoj dvorani The Roundhouse promoviran mu je album u izdanju EMI Classics

Napisao Kruno Petrinovic 
Snimci Daniela Federici i Sasa Buric

http://www.gloria.com.hr/436/mrvica4.jpg 
'The Piano Player' prvi je od pet Mrvicinih albuma koje ce objaviti ugledna diskografska kuca EMI

http://www.gloria.com.hr/436/mrvica2.jpg 
Maksim Mrvica s Toncijem Huljicem, Melom Bushom i fotografom Johnon Paulom lanjskog rujna u Splitu kad je snimio promotivni katalog

Pijanisticko cudo iz sibenika, 28-godisnji Maksim Mrvica, nakon Hrvatske velikim koracima krece u osvajanje medunarodne glazbene scene. Dok se na televizijskim postajama diljem svijeta prikazuje spot "Bumbarov let", snimljen nedavno na Kubi, koji je 12. svibnja premijerno prikazan na MTV-u, Maksim u Londonu promovira "The Piano Player", svoj prvi album objavljen u izdanju diskografske kuce EMI Classics. On je jedini hrvatski umjetnik s kojim je ta ugledna diskografska kuca, ciji su izvodaci zvijezde poput violinistice Vanesse Mae, skladatelja Jean-Michela Jarrea, te gudackog kvarteta Bond, potpisala ugovor za objavljivanje cak pet albuma.
Promocija Mrvicinog prvog albuma odrzana je 14. svibnja u koncertnoj dvorani The Roundhouse, u kojoj su svjetsku karijeru zapoceli i cuveni Rolling Stonesi, Jimmy Hendrix i Pink Floyd, a svoj jedini koncert u Velikoj Britaniji odrzala skupina The Doors s legendarnim pjevacem Jimom Morrisonom. Maksim Mrvica prvi je Hrvat, i jedan od posljednjih umjetnika koji u "Okrugloj kuci" nastupa prije njenog zatvaranja 28. svibnja, nakon cega ce dvorana do 2005. biti temeljito obnovljena.
- Violinistica Vanessa Mae dosad je prodala sedam milijuna albuma, a zenski gudacki kvartet Bond dva. Siguran sam da i hrvatski pijanist Maksim Mrvica ima slican potencijal: mlad je, dinamican i karizmatican - zakljucuje britanski producent Mel Bush, koji je u milijunskoj nakladi tiskao i u cijelom svijetu distribuirao promotivni katalog Maksima Mrvice, snimljen lanjsko ljeto u Splitu. 
No, put do zvjezdanih visina mladog sibencanina, kosarkaskog stasa, nije bio posut ruzama. Kao djecak svirao je na posudenom klaviru, tijekom studija na zagrebackoj Muzickoj akademiji selio se iz jednog u drugi podstanarski stan s Anom, danas svojom suprugom, i pijaninom Petrof kojem su cesto pucale zice. A on je sanjao o - koncertom klaviru. Za usavrsavanje u Budimpesti teskom je mukom pronasao sponzore, a potom je u Parizu sa suprugom zivio vrlo skromno. Danas zivi u sredistu Londona, prosao je skolu za odnose s medijima, o njegovom se imidzu brinu stilisti, a kamo god krenuo, na usluzi mu je vozac. 
Svi racuni placeni
- Od mene doista - kaze Mrvica - stvaraju zvijezdu. Osim mog menadzera Mela Busha, u brizi oko mene doslovno se nadmecu jos dvije agencije. Ormari su mi prepuni odjece, placaju mi sve racune, sve rade za mene, a ja samo trebam vjezbati. No, ima to i svoje nalicje: pritisak je golem i ja sam stalno za klavirom. zelim li otici u Hrvatsku, moram najaviti svoj odlazak, jer obvezno trebamo uskladiti termine. Strahuju da mi se nesto ne dogodi, a moja voznja automobilom od sibenika do Londona za njih je nocna mora. 
Nakon nastupa u Londonu, Maksim vec ima dogovorene koncerte u Japanu, Tajvanu, Njemackoj i Engleskoj, no nada se da ce i ovo ljeto sa suprugom Anom boraviti u sibeniku, s mamom Slavicom, tatom Karmelom, te bracom Stipom iSlavkom.

Brilliant Croatian liftsEurope

Tamara Boros

Croatian Tamara Boros returns a shot from her opponent US Chang Jun Gao in theqquarter-finals at the 47th Table Tennis world championships held at the Bercy Hall in Paris and wins. 

Malaysian News : Sports

Brilliant Boros lifts Europe after Samsonov crashes out

May 24 , 2003 19:22PM

Tamara Boros provided Europe with a timely tonic as a wave ofChinese players threatened to swamp the table tennis world championship finalsas they headed towards their climax.

Boros, from Croatia, was celebrating becoming only the fourth European in threedecades to make the women's singles semi-finals.

Her mammoth 4-3 quarter-final win over China's American export Chang Jun Gao wasthe high point for Europe on a day that spelled the end for Vladamir Samsonov,the host continent's trump card for men's singles honours.

The giant Belarus was stopped by Greece's Kalinikos Kreanga. Samsonov's exitcame as China collected their first gold medal in the mixed doubles and four oftheir men made it through to the singles' quarter-finals.

They are guaranteed gold in an all China men's doubles final.

The sport's superpower is also three handed in the women's semis, with Boros,the number five seed with the trademark service that floats into the rafters,due to meet reigning champion Wang Nan early Saturday.

"It's been my dream to win a medal at the world championships, now I've gotmy chance," she said, her voice quivering with emotion.

"It's not so usual to have a European in the last four of a worldchampionships, I want to enjoy the moment," she added.

Boros, who has left her poor form in the run up to Bercy well and truly behindher this week, said of Wang Nan "She's world champion, Olympic champion,everything champion! "But it's always been close when I've playedher."

Having seen off European champion Otilia Bodescu Boros was heading off for awell earned sleep, hopefully not disrupted by the sobering thought that the lasttime Europe struck gold in the women's singles was back in 1955.

Source: http://www.bernama.com.my/B2002/news_sports.shtml?sports/sp240503_201 

Croatia Prepares for PapalVisit

 John Paul II’s 100th Apostolic Journey

A Croat woman walks by a poster announcing PopeJohn Paul  II's 3rd visit to Croatia on Friday, May 23, 2003. Pope willvisit five cities in Croatia from June 5 to 9, 2003 during his 100th Papalvisit. (AP Photo/Hrvoje Knez)

Interview with Monsignor Tomo Petic, Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Croatia

ZAGREB, MAY 20, 2003 (ZENIT.org).- John Paul II’s third visit to Croatia June 5-9 marks his 100th apostolic journey; national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Croatia tells Fides about the nation’s preparation for the Holy Father. 

Q: Why is the Pope making a third visit to Croatia? 

Monsignor Petic: The Pope is coming to visit the Church in Croatia for the third time after visits in 1994 and 1998. The main reason this time is the beatification of Sister Marija Petkovic during the Mass which the Holy Father will celebrate on June 6 at Dubrovnik. 

Marija Petkovic was born on December 10, 1892 at Blato, in the island of Korcula, in the diocese of Dubrovnik. While still a girl she devoted herself to helping the poor and later founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Mercy. She died a saintly death in Rome, on July 9, 1966. Beside Dubrovnik, the Pope will visit four other towns Rijeka, Osijek, Dakovo and Zadar. 

Q: How are people preparing for the Pope's arrival? 

Monsignor Petic: Our Church in Croatia and all Croats are very happy about this visit. Moreover it will be the 100th papal journey of this pontificate and so it is an important occasion. With this third visit the Pope wants to give another sign of his concern and care for our Church and our country, still a young nation. 

Q: What is different about this third visit by Pope John Paul II? 

Monsignor Petic: When the Holy Father came to Croatia for the first time in 1994 it was still the time of the terrible war and the Pope wished to reward our fidelity to the Church and to our Christian faith which we have kept for 13 centuries, showing us his gratitude. In those years his words of encouragement were very important for us. 

On the occasion of his second visit, in 1998, he went to the national Marian shrine Maria Districa near Zagreb and he beatified Cardinal Aloysius Stepinac, who led the Archdiocese of Zagreb in the terrible years of World War II. The cardinal courageously defended human rights, trying to protect everyone, especially Jews who were deprived of their rights by the war. 

Cardinal Stepinac saved the lives of many prisoners and deported persons. In 1945, immediately after the war, when the communist regime wanted to separate us from the Church of Rome, founding a national Church under state control, the cardinal opposed this with all his strength and paid for his resistance with his life. In 1946 he was sentenced to 16 years in prison and he died a prisoner in the parish where he was born, Krasic. He was a great example for his fidelity to the Gospel and to the Church. During the decades under communism he was for us a light from which our Church and our people drew the courage to resist. 

With this third visit, besides beatifying Marija Petkovic, the Holy Father wishes also to sustain us in the difficulties we encounter as a Church in this time of transition. For fifty years we were excluded from the development of the universal Church from a point of view of theology and pastoral care, and this has left clear marks. 

As we strive to regain ground as quickly as possible, we often falter because new structures cannot create the new spirit and awareness, which are lacking, nor can they compensate for what is lacking. Formation of the spirit and conscience takes the time necessary for growth and maturing; at times we are too impatient. 

Q: The local Church is preparing for the visit reflecting on the theme of the Family. Why was this theme chosen? 

Monsignor Petic: In preparation for the papal visit our bishops addressed a letter to the faithful entitled "The Family - the Way of the Church and the Nation." In the letter, the Bishops stress the importance of the family for the Church and for the State. It is the place in which life is born from the biological point of view but also the place where the life of faith is born and grows. This is why the bishops call on the people to reflect on the role of the family in the Church and in society and to work together to promote the values of the family. 

It is in the family that the future sources of social and economic life are formed. So it is important to know which values are transmitted by families. 
Responsibility, seriousness, spirit of sacrifice, dedication, generosity, and lastly tolerance and respect for those who are different, are virtues which are learned first of all in the family. Therefore, the life of faith in the family is also of irreplaceable importance. Prayer, listening to the Word of God, taking part in Sunday Mass are the spiritual resources for the growth of a healthy faith life. 

The bishops also express concern for the evils which threaten the family today, including the economic difficulties in our country where unemployment is very high. Lastly the bishops indicate as models the two new Croat blessed, Marija Petkovic and Ivan Merz, committed lay man who lived 1896-1928, whom the Holy Father will beatify when he visits Banja-Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The new blessed are the proof of what divine grace can achieve when a person puts himself totally at the disposal of the Lord. Following their example we must not be discouraged by present difficulties and crises. 

CROATIA - Information from the Statistical Yearbook of the Church 

Population 4,650,000; Catholics 3,745,000; ecclesiastical circumscriptions 15; bishops 27; diocesan priests 1,449; religious priests 810; brothers 98; sisters 3,464; catechists 1,512; major seminarians 385; charity and healthcare institutes: 120.

Source: http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=35846 

Croatian Presidents in the Americas

Nestor Kirchner  & Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich

Just this month we were treated to the news that Nestor Kirchner, who
will soon be inaugurated as Argentina's next President, is of Croatian
descent. A recent article in The New York Times noted that Kirchner's
mother was a Croatian born in Chile which, like Argentina, has a large
Croatian community.

Kirchner is not the first Croatian to lead an American country. That
honor belongs to a son of Punat and Cres, Francisco Orlich, who served
as President of Costa Rica from 1962 to 1966.

Francisco's grandfather, Franjo Orlic-Ladic, was born to a poor family
in Punat. He left Punat as a 16 year old lad and become a seaman. He
ended up in Costa Rica where he became a wealthy man.

Franjo did not cut his ties to his hometown - to the contrary, he, like
many people in our community today, invested in his homeland. In Punat,
Franjo built a villa called "Villa Costa Rica" and a hydraulic mill, and
opened a pasta factory which continued to operate until the Second World
War. Afterwards, the factory was converted into Punat's Park Hotel. He
also gave money to restore Punat's Holy Trinity parish church and to the
hospital in Krk and served as the first president of the
"Austrian-Croatian Steamship Association," established in Punat in 1906.

Francisco Orlich was born in Costa Rica the next year. His father Josip
had been born on Krk while his mother Georgina Bolmarcic Kamcic came
from Cres. Orlich visited Croatia twice, coming to Cres as a child and
visiting Rijeka and Punat in 1962 after being elected Costa Rican
president. Orlich died in 1969 and is buried in San Jose, Costa Rica's
capital.

Here in the United States, we are still waiting for our first
Croatian-American President. In 2000, Ohio Congressman John Kasich (now
a commentator with the Fox News Channel) made the attempt against George
W. Bush in the Republican primaries. For 2004, Dennis Kucinich, a
Congressman from Cleveland, is one of the candidates running in the
Democratic race.

John Kraljic

This is also being submitted for publication to Korijen, the newsletter
of the Croatian Apostolate in Astoria, New York. John Kraljic

Op-ed

Adding this Spanish text on Francisco Orlich

Nenad Bach

Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich
1907-1969

Nació en San Ramón el 10 de marzo de 1907. Muy joven se trasladó a los E.U.A., donde estudió contabilidad y administración de negocios. Al regresar a Costa Rica, administró las actividades agrícolas, comerciales e industriales de su familia. Trabajador franco, llano, inteligente, su actitud afable, campechana, despojada de hipocresía le atrajeron el afecto del campesino y el obrero. Hombre práctico y de gran acción.

Inició su carrera pública en San Ramón donde sirvió como presidente municipal de 1938 a 1940. Fue diputado durante tres períodos. Combatió durante la Guerra Civil de 1948 como comandante del Ejército de Liberación Nacional en el frente norte. En 1955, sirvió como comandante supremo de la fuerza pública contra la invasión destinada a derrocar al presidente Figueres. Ministro de Obras Públicas. Candidato a la presidencia para el periodo 1958-1962, fue derrotado por Mario Echandi al dividirse el Partido Liberación que lo postuló. Presentándose de nuevo como candidato, salió electo presidente en elecciones verificadas el 4 de febrero de 1962.

Sencillo, humilde y gran demócrata, se recuerdan con carińo sus ejemplares palabras: "Como presidente soy el primer servidor y es mi deber atender a todos los ciudadanos cumplidamente".

Murió el 29 de octubre de 1969 en San José. Sus restos reposan en los Jardines de la Catedral de San Ramón, de Alajuela.

Nombrado Benemérito de la Patria, por acuerdo Nş 1735 del 25 de abril de 1977.

KLAPA ASTORIA performs on TimesSquare in New York

KLAPA ASTORIA confirmed for Saturday May 31
BrokenOPenHeart Productions Benefit Party for our
Building Bridges Project 2003

They will go on @ 9pm
Chashama Theatre 135 W. 42nd Street

We are thrilled to bring this rich Croatian culture/ art form to a widely 
diverse audience in the heart of Times Square!

Natalie
 grodic@hotmail.com   

Karolina Sprem

Croatian qualifier makes Strasbourg final

 Friday, May 23, 2003 
(05-23) 12:14 PDT STRASBOURG, France (AP) 
Qualifier Karolina Sprem of Croatia advanced to the final of the Strasbourg Open after beating sixth-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Friday.
Sprem will be playing in her first final Saturday when she meets Silvia Farina Elia. The seventh-seeded Italian, who has won this clay-court event the last two years, defeated Ashley Harkleroad of the United States 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Sprem beat top-seeded Jelena Dokic in the second round.


Karolina Sprem u finalu Strasbourga 


Hrvatski sport definitivno je dobio joS jednu zvijezdu. Rijec je o osamnaestogodiSnjoj Varazdinki Katarini Sprem, koja je na svom trecem velikom WTA turniru, u Strasbourgu izborila finale pobijedivSi Ruskinju Veru Zvonarevu 2:1 u setovima


cini se da Janica Kostelic dobiva ozbiljnu konkurenciju. U najljepSem tjednu svog zivota mlada je Varazdinka izborila svoje prvo finale na turniru u Strasbourgu koji se igra za nagradni fond od 170.000 americkih dolara. 

I treci put zaredom Karolina je slavila nakon tri neizvjesna i dramaticna seta rezultatom 3:6, 6:3, 6:4. Nakon Srbijanke Dokic i Slovenke Matevzic ni Ruskinja Zvonareva nije uspjela prekinuti fantastican niz nove teniske 'zvijezde'u usponu. 

Ono Sto imponira kod mlade Hrvatice jest nevjerojatna psihicka stabilnost kojom lomi svoje protivnice i koja je izvlaci i iz najtezih situacija. U tome je vrlo slicna nekad najboljoj tenisacici svijeta Moniki SeleS. 

Rijeci pohvale zasigurno zasluzuje i njen trener, bivSi reprezentativac SaSa Hirszon. Sigurni smo da ce, zahvaljujuci svom ogromnom iskustvu, SaSa znati kojim putevima voditi Karolininu karijeru i kako je dovesti u sam vrh zenskog svjetskog tenisa. 

Protivnica u sutraSnjem finalu bit ce joj pobjednica meca Farina- Harkleroad.

Hello,

My name is Tony (Antun) Kristovich and I am a "povratnik" fromCalifornia living in Dubrovnik now.  After years of effort, my wife and Ihave finally succeeded in starting a business here in Dubrovnik.  Ourbusiness' name is TRIUMF doo and our first endeavor is an apartment buildinghere in Dubrovnik.  The apartment building is currently under constructionand we are in the process of selling the apartments.  Since the wholebuilding is "American" style, we think that the Croatian diaspora(especially those from the Dubrovnik area) would be very interested in theseapartments.

For more information: www.dubrovnik-online.com/triumf or clik on the photo.
Or call us: + 385 20 420-224

Thank you,

Antun Kristovic

triumf@dubrovnik-online.com 

mamaitatabb9@yahoo.com 
Triumf doo

5. MEDUNARODNI NOGOMETNI TURNIR

ŤMITTELEUROPA – ADRIATIC CUP 2003ť

APARTMANI MEDENA – TROGIR – CROATIA 
16.04. – 20.04.2003

Na 5. nogometnom medunarodnom turniru sudjelovalo je 22 kluba – 46 momcadi u 6 omladinskih nogometnih katetgorija (oko 750 sudionika) iz 6 drzava i to: Austrije, Madarske, Belgije, Njemacke, Bosne i Hercegovine i Hrvatske.
U kategoriji kadeta prvo mjesto osvojila je momcad NK Tomislav iz Tomislavgrada (BiH), u kategoriji pionira prvo mjesto osvojila je momcad NK Osijek iz Osijeka (Hrvatska), u kategoriji starijih pocetnika prvo mjesto osvojila je takoder momcad NK Osijek, u kategorij mladih pocetnika prvo mjesto osvojila je momcad FC Genk iz Belgije dok je u kategoriji starijih pijetlica prvo mjesto osvojila momcad NK Osijek a u najmladem godistu pijetlica 1994 g. omladinska skola nogometa Jarun iz Zagreba je osvojila prvo mjesto.
Na kraju turnira za prvoplasirana tri mjesta u svim kategorijama podijeljeni su pehari i zlatne, srebrne i broncane medalje sa likom nogometasa. Na zatvaranju turnira nagrade za ostvarene rezultate podijelili su direktor turnira prof. Damir Milic i direktor hotelsko-apartmanskog kompleksa Medena gosp. Predrag Jurcevic.
Po broju osvojenih kategorija (pioniri, stariji pocetnici i stariji pijetlici 1992 g.) momcad NK Osijek je proglasena za najuspjesniju momcad turnira. Prvu nagradu za unapredenje i kvalitetu nogometa sa mladim uzrastima pripala je klubu FC Genk iz Belgije koji je demonstrirao tijekom natjecanja nacela modernog nogometa te odusevio ne samo gledatelje nego i trenere i momcadi ostalih sudionika turnira. Za fair play igru proglasen je FC Rapid iz Beca (Austrija). 
Turnir je pokazao da se iz godine u godinu povecava broj kategorija i sudionika te kvaliteta prikazane nogometne igre te je na najboljem putu da postane tradicionalni medunarodni turnir (jedini takve vrste za najmlade uzraste u Hrvatskoj). Turnir je organiziran u turistickoj vansezoni (pred Uskrs) i ima osim sportskog i promotivni turisticki znacaj. Slijedeci 6. medunarodni nogometni turnir bit ce odrzan od 06.04. – 10.04.2004.g. na istoj destinaciji.
Organizator turnira nada se odzivu i klubova iz hrvatske dijaspore.

Tajnik turnira
Miroslav Galic 

Tel/fax: 00385/31/500-553
e-mail: damir.milic@os.hinet.hr 
Croatia