President Milanović Receives Members of “Filip Dević” Cultural Society from Split
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received today members of the “Filip Dević” Cultural Society of Railroaders from Split, who are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the women’s “Filip Dević” klapa chorus and the 60th anniversary of the men’s “Filip Dević” klapa chorus.
The representatives of the “Filip Dević” Cultural Society of Railroaders from Split informed President Milanović at the meeting about their activities since the Society’s inception, saying that in 1950, when the Society was founded, it had a drama group, a brass band, a cycling section and a reciting section. In the late ‘50s, a folklore section, an orchestra and a large men’s chorus were formed. Throughout the years, some ten thousand members were active in the Society and there are presently about 200 active members, the delegation said.
The men’s klapa chorus was founded in the early ‘60s and the women’s chorus was founded in the early ‘70s. In February of this year, they held a gala concert at the Croatian National Theater in Split. The delegation pointed out that the women’s klapa continuously participates in the Omiš Dalmatian Klapa Festival competition and many international festivals. The men’s klapa chorus, said the delegation, is one of the oldest active klapa choruses that regularly participate in all major klapa events. The men’s klapa chorus has won numerous awards, notably the Award of the City of Split and the recognition of the Omiš Dalmatian Klapa Festival for its special contribution to the promotion of Dalmatian klapa singing. The men’s klapa chorus has performed at home and abroad in a number of European countries, as well as in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Both the women’s and the men’s “Filip Dević” klapa chorus held short performances of well-known klapa compositions in the Office of the President. The klapa performers included Ivana Smoljanović, Anita Perković, Silvana Zelić, Deni Dmitrović, Vedrana Ugrin, Ivana Buljan, Jadranka Jerković, Jasminka Jurašin and Jasminka Najev (female members), and Branko Tomić, Božo Roguljić, Denis Radić Lima, Edi Duplančić, Neno Grubić, Berislav Bralić, Toni Veldić, Damir Grubišić and Ivica Jaman (malemembers). Apart from klapa members, the Honorary Society President Vesna Podlipec, Society President Tonći Kovač, Vice President Maja Frapporti Roglić and Secretary Ante Jukić attended the meeting with President Milanović. President Milanović was accompanied by the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan