Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Japan Drago Stambuk recently participated at the 40th Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club Festival, where Kwansei Gakuin Elementary, Junior High and High School, as well as Kwansei Gakuin University choirs performed. Kwansei Gakuin University (City of Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture) has a long tradition of choir singing, with Kwansei Gakuing Glee Club, the oldest Japanese male choir, celebrating this year the 109th anniversary of foundation.
Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to Japan Drago Stambuk recently participated at the 40th Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club Festival, where Kwansei Gakuin Elementary, Junior High and High School, as well as Kwansei Gakuin University choirs performed. Kwansei Gakuin University (City of Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture) has a long tradition of choir singing, with Kwansei Gakuing Glee Club, the oldest Japanese male choir, celebrating this year the 109th anniversary of foundation. For Croatia Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club is particularly important because it has been performing Croatian composer Zajc's aria “U boj, u boj” (Into the fight) with inexhaustible ardour for 90 years (from 1919), spreading it throughout Japan and becoming three time winner of national competition of male choirs with it.
According to Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club's custom, Zajc's aria “U boj, u boj” was performed at the end of the program, first in the way it was handed to the Glee Club members in 1919, followed by the performance of the last part of Zajc's opera “Nikola Subic Zrinski”, which part it is of. At the very end, “U boj, u boj” was sung with the participation of elementary, junior high school and high school students, university students and members of Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club alumni association Shin-getsu Kai, that is with the participation of all Kwansei Gakuin singers, ranging from the youngest, 13, to the oldest, 88. Upon the request from Shin-getsu Kai members Ambassador Stambuk joined the last performance to the great delight of all the present. Before the last performance Ambassador addressed the audience congratulating the 109th anniversary of foundation of Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club and expressing appreciation to Glee Club members for “keeping the Croatian national spirit alive even at the times when in his Homeland the performing of “U boj, u boj” was under surveillance”.
After the concert reception celebrating the 109th anniversary of foundation of Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club took place, with the participation of Ambassador Stambuk, Chancellor of Kwansei Gakuin University Ruth Grubel and President of Kwansei Gakuin University Soichi Sugihara, President of Shin-getsu Kai Yasuo Imagawa, as well as many other distinguished guests and all the musicians. In his address Ambassador Stambuk mentioned the historic background of the aria “U boj, u boj” saying that the members of Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club “until recently believed that the aria they have been singing with such ardour throughout Japan and which has grown so close to their hearts that they have been concluding every public performance with it - is Czech song. However, taking also into account recent efforts of Croatian Embassy to Japan, many that until now did not know, now know that “U boj, u boj” is Croatian aria from Croatian national opera “Nikola Subic Zrinski” by Ivan pl. Zajc, and that it is one of the most popular patriotic Croatian songs ever. While evacuating Czech and Slovak soldiers from Russia after the World War I, on the way to Europe ship “Hefron” suffered damage from typhoon and had to be docked for more than two months at the Port of Kobe until it was fully repaired. During that time Czech soldiers (perhaps there were some Croats among them) taught Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club members the aria “U boj, u boj”. Ship sailed away, but “U boj, u boj” remained. And not only remained, but it became enormously popular and nowadays there is no academic male choir in Japan that doesn't have this aria on their repertoire.” Moreover, referring to Croatian postwar history he expressed gratitude to “all Japanese choirs that, without knowledge of what they are singing, in the times when performing of “U boj, u boj” had been banned in his Homeland, carried the flame of Croatian patriotism and held high the Croatian flag on the other side of the world.” Ambassador Stambuk briefly described the historical story about Zrinski, who after long siege of Siget under the attacks of Turks had chosen “heroic - Japanese would say samurai – death”, pointing out that “noble example of heroism and sacrifice, consecrated death, leaves traces on our Croatian and Japanese souls, our psyche. It traces our common path of friendship, strengthens it emotionally, giving us the deepest emotional heritage and compassion in suffering and self-sacrifice.” At the end of his address Croatian Ambassador appealed to all present to “put their efforts together in bringing to Japanese stage the opera “Nikola Subic Zrinski”, which “U boj, u boj” originates from, in order to experience Zrinski in his wholeness, finally positioning “U boj, u boj” in its proper place in their minds and their hearts.”
Drago Stambuk was bestowed with the title of honorary member of alumni association Shin-getsu Kai. Yasuo Imagawa, President of Shin-getsu Kai presented Ambassador Stambuk with honorary membership card and badge, as well as first score of aria “U boj, u boj” made by members of Kwansei Gakuin Glee Club in 1919, in the time when Czech and Slovak soldiers stayed in Kobe. As a sign of appreciation, Ambassador Stambuk presented Shin-getsu Kai with his autographed poem “Zephyr” in Croatian, English and Japanese version.
Following day Croatian Ambassador visited Hyogo College of Medicine, which in October 2007 concluded agreement about academic exchange and cooperation with Medical Faculty of the University of Rijeka, and discussed the further cooperation with the President of the Board Sohei Shinka.
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