Croatia | Dora 2019 live from the Press Conference
Today HRT held the official press conference on the return of Dora and team #TeamEurovoxx were there live! Read down for everything you need to know about the return of the successful national selection format in Croatia.
Photo Credit: Eurofest Croatia
After 5 years of internal selections, HRT has made the decision to bring Dora back. Many Eurovision artists were present at the official press conference, including Croatia's latest Eurovision stars - Franka and Jacques Houdek, Eurovision 1994 representative Tony Cetinski, latest winners of the known Dora format Neda and Nika from Feminnem, and Kraljevi ulice.
The main director of HRT Kazimir Bačić stated his satisfaction with the return of Dora to Opatija „where it belongs“, remembering the tradition of the festival, which was held since 1992. Renato Kunić, the main program director of HRT, added that there were efforts to organise Dora last year, but they unfortunately did not manage to do so because of the financial problems.
Photo Credit: Eurofest Croatia
When Is Dora 2019 taking place?
Dora is happening between February 14th and February 16th 2019. Bačić stated that „both the TV audience and expert jury will choose the song which will represent Croatia in coming years in Eurovision“. He underlined their wish to continue the tradition of Dora in years to come.
„Days of HRT“ will be a three-day festival.
Fist evening - Valentine's day – HRT's symphony orchestra with classics.
Second evening – 15th of February – jazz orchestra concert – Opatija's serenades.
Third evening – 16th of February – Dora 2019.
Where is Dora 2019 taking place?
Opatija!
The major of the town of Opatija, Ivo Dujmić stated that Dora is „coming home to Opatija!“ He also expressed the hope that this is just the beginning of a new era for Dora in Opatija.
What's new?
HRT's Eurovision Head of delegation Željen Klašterka stated that Dora is HRT's brand which they decided to keep as a format of national selection, but they did make some changes in the concept of the show. Dora will be held in the sports hall Marino Cvetković, which allows bigger live audience and Klašterka's wish is to attract younger audience to a festival.
Photo Credit: Eurofest Croatia
Delegation team member Uršula Tolj invited the composers and musicians to submit their Dora entries, and she greeted Rajko Dujmić, composer of the winning Eurovision entry (1989, "Rock me"), and Andrej Baša, the co-composer of the very first Croatian Eurovision entry (1993, „Don't ever cry“). She presented the video which reminisced of all the memories of Dora – from the winning entries like „Marija Magdalena", „Neka mi ne svane", „Vukovi umiru sami", „Nek ti bude ljubav sva"... to all non-winning but well remembered songs.
The video also included the famous guest performances of the international stars on Dora like Johnny Logan and Katrina and the Waves. The video also featured the „most persistent“ Dora artists like Boris Novković and Jacques Houdek.
Uršula Tolj then invited the author of the Dora statue Ivica Propadalo on the stage. He revealed that his band Teška industrija will submit their song to Dora 2019. Uršula then went on to invite some of the former Eurovision artists Franka, Jacques Houdek, Tony Cetinski, Neda and Nika from Feminnem, and Kraljevi ulice.
Tony Cetinski stated that in the early years of Croatia as an independent country, it was a special honor and adrenaline to represent Croatia at Eurovision, while today everyone knows for Croatia thanks to, among all, Croatia's football team, Luka Modrić, etc. Uršula Tolj stated a hope for Croatia's Eurovision 2019 representative to follow the success of Croatia's national football team at this year's World Cup.
Photo Credit: Sanja, #TeamEurovoxx
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