Tamara Obrovac (born 1962 in Pula), Croatian singer, composer, songwriter and flutist is one of the most impressive artists on the Croatian music scene, her main expression is ethnically inspired contemporary jazz influenced by the particular musical and dialect traditions of her homeland, the Croatian peninsula of Istria.
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Biography
She started her musical career in Zagreb in the 1980s, when she discovered jazz, having graduated in flute performance at the music school in her native Pula. She began to perform in clubs in Croatia and Slovenia, and soon created her own distinctive musical expression, connecting the musical and dialectal tradition of her native Istria with jazz music, which brought her international recognition.
She has written around 200 compositions, published 13 CDs for which she composed all the music and wrote most of the lyrics. She writes lyrics in her local dialect and sings in other ancient and endangered Istrian dialects, of Slavic and Romance origin.
Since her early career in the 1980s, she has formed and led several international bands (Transhistria ensemble, quartet, etc.) and held more than 500 international concerts. She was highly praised by both the audience and press.
Her performances are marked by her charismatic stage energy, expressive voice and improvisational skills, as well as excellent performances by the bands.
In addition to her concert activities, she composes music for theater and film; she composed music for 10 movies, 40 theater plays and ballets, performed in most national and city theaters in Croatia and in the region. Unlike her main musical expression, in which she blends Istrian tradition and contemporary jazz, her stage and film music work is unlimited in genre.
She has received numerous awards for her work, among others: 9 Porin awards (Croatian national music award), she was the first woman who received the national award Golden Arena for the best film score (for Što je muškarac bez brkova at the Pula Film Festival), also, among many other nominations, she was nominated for the BBC Radio 3 World Music Award (European music and Audience award).
Her many international collaborations and projects include, among others: Glauco Venier, Theodosii Spassov, Vlatko Stefanovski, Kostas Theodoru, Karen Asatrian, Wolfgang Puschnig, Simone Zanchini, Elvis Stanić, Dario Marušić, Miroslav Tadić, Epoque string quartet, Vienna Radio String Quartet Vienna and enjoys long term collaborations (band members) with Fausto Beccalossi, Krunoslav Levačić, Uroš Rakovec, Žiga Golob, Matija Dedić and, recently, Salvatore Maiore and Stefano Battaglia.
Discography
1996: "Triade" – Tamara Obrovac & trio (Croatian Composers Society)
1998: "Ulika" – Tamara Obrovac quartet (CBS)
2001: "Transhistria" – Tamara Obrovac Transhistria ensemble (Cantus)
2003: "Sve pasiva / All fades away" – Tamara Obrovac Transhistria ensemble (Cantus)
2005: "Daleko je…/ … is faraway" – Tamara Obrovac Transhistria ensemble Aquarius Records
2006: "Črni kos / Das Led der Amsel" – Tamara Obrovac & Georg Kustrich (Extraplatte)
2009: "Neću više jazz kantati / I Won’t Sing Jazz Anymore" – Tamara Obrovac Transhistria electric Aquarius Records
2011: "Madirosa" – Tamara Obrovac Transhistria ensemble / Époque Quartet (Cantus / Aquarius Records)
2014: "Ulika revival" – Tamara Obrovac quartet (Unit records)
2016: "Canto amoroso" – Tamara Obrovac Transhistria ensemble (Alessa Records)
2018: "Live@ZKM" – Tamara Obrovac Transhistria ensemble (Cantus)
2019: "TransAdriaticum" – Tamara Obrovac TransAdriatic quartet (Alessa Records)
2020: "Villa Idola" – Tamara Obrovac Transhistria ensemble / Croatian Radiotelevision Jazz Orchestra Aquarius Records
2023: "Nuvola" – Tamara Obrovac quartet (Cantus)
Film scores
2003: "Stina" – Documentary film about famous Croatian painter Edo Murtić, directed by Rajko Grlić
2003: "Metahead" – animation movie, Zagrebfilm, author Branko Farac
2003: "Ptice" – radio drama, Croatian National radio, directed by Jasna Mesarić
2004: "Jasnovidka" – feature film, RTV Slovenia, directed by Biljana Čakić Veselič
2004: "Ono sve što znaš o meni" – feature film, directed by Bobo Jelčić and Nataša Rajković
2005: What Is a Man Without a Moustache? – feature film, directed by Hrvoje Hribar
2010: "Piran Pirano" – feature film, directed by Goran Vojnović
2011: "Night boats"- feature film, directed by Igor Mirković
2012: "Contrada" – short movie, directed by Matija Debeljuh
2015: "Jure Grando" – animation movie, author Martin Babić
2020: "Once were humans" – feature film, directed by Goran Vojnović
Theatre music
1998: "Non era la quinta, era la nona", Istrian national Theatre Pula, directed by Robert Raponja
1999: "Manifestation of the Introvert", En Knapp Production, Ljubljana, choreographer Maja Delak
2000: "The Little Mermaid", Istrian national Theatre Pula, directed by Robert Raponja
2001: "The Dance of the Dead", Istrian National Theater Pula, the Musical Drama Fantasy, directed by Robert Raponja
2002: "Snow Queen", City Theatre Žar ptica Zagreb, directed by Dora Ružđak
2002: "Christmas at the Ivanov's", Zagreb Youth Theatre directed by Nebojša Borojević
2004: "Dog, woman, man" Theatre Exit Zagreb, directed by Zijah Sokolović
2004: "Vassa Zheleznova", Croatian National Theatre Zagreb, directed by Zlatko Sviben
2004: "Antigone" Croatian National Theater Split, directed by Matko Raguž
2005: "Ekoteka", A play for children, directed by Daska company, Sisak
2006: "Udovice/Widows", Croatian National Theatre in Split, directed by Dino Mustafić
2006: "Zagrljenici / Embraced", SARTR, Sarajevo War Theatre, directed by Robert Raponja
2006: "Titanic Orchestra", Istrian National Theatre Pula, directed by Dino Mustafić
Audio books
2022: “Brigada del amanecer”, Milan Rakovac / Tamara Obrovac, Book&zvook, Zagreb
Awards
2002: The Croatian national theatrical award: best music in a theatrical work for the play “Tanac od mrtvih (The Dance of the Dead)” (Istrian National Theatre)
2003: The “Golden smile” award: best music and performance for the play “Jelka kod Ivanovih (Christmas at the Ivanov's)”(Zagreb Youth Theatre)
2003: Zlatna koogla award for best Croatian female artist
2004: Porin (Croatian national music award) for best world music album, CD “Sve pasiva/All fades away"
2004: Nominated for BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music (European music and audience award categories)
2005: Award for best music in a theatrical work for play "Antigone" @ Marulovi dani, Split
2006: Porin (Croatian national music award) for best female vocal performance, song "Daleko je..." / CD "Daleko je… is faraway”
2006: Porin: (Croatian national music award) best world music album, for CD “Daleko je… is faraway”
2006: Porin (Croatian national music award) for best vocal collaboration with Tedi Spalato, for song “Ti i ja”
2006: Golden Arena award (Croatian national film festival, Pula): best score for Hrvoje Hribar’s film “Što je muskarac bez brkova (What is a man without a mustache)”
2007: best music in a theatrical work for the play “Zagrljenici”, National theatrical festival Bosnia and Herzegovina
2007: Award for the best music in a theatrical work for the play “Zagrljenici”, 6th festival of Bosnian and Herzegovinian drama, Zenica
Performances (selection)
Germany (Düsseldorf Jazz Rally, Jazzahead’13, Lüneburger Jazz-Night, Le gipfel du jazz Freiburg, Bayerisher Hof Munchen, Laboratorium Stuttgart, Eisenach Jazzclub, etc.), Norway (Trondheim Jazz Festival), China (Beijing Cultural Palace of the Nationalities, Chuama festival), Belgium (Bozar Brussels, The Music Village Brussels, Balkan Trafik Festival), Austria (Porgy & Bess Vienna, Akkordeon Fest Vienna, Jazz Festival Steyr, Glatt & Verkehrt Musikfestival, Jazz club Klagenfurt, Kunsthaus Weiz, etc.), Switzerland (RSI Lugano, Bird’s Eye Basel, Moods Zurich), Italy (Alpsklang Festival Merano, Talos Jazz Fest, Trieste Loves Jazz, Mittelfest, AnteprimaMundus Fest, etc.), USA (Joe’s Pub NYC, Hot House Chicago), France (Strictly mundial Festival Marseille, L’Entrepot Paris, Maritime Festival Brest), Spain (Circulo Jazz club Madrid, Festival Ribermusica Barcelona, La Fira Mediterrania de Manresa), Morocco (Jazz au Chellah Festival), Greece (Dimithriathess Festival Thessaloníki), Poland (Crossroads Festival Krakow), Latvia (Saulkrasti Jazz Fest, Riga Jazz Club), Lithuania (Vilnius Jazz Festival), Finland (EBU Festival Kaustinen), BiH (Sarajevo Jazz Fest), Slovenia (Cankarjev dom club, Druga godba Festival, etc.), Israel (Rishon le Zion Tel Aviv), Japan (Expo), Croatia (everywhere :), Russia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Ireland and many more.