Matulji sings for Oliver again: an emotional evening fills the hall, while the summer programme continues with music and local flavours
On Sunday, 26 July 2026, Matulji in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County once again became a place of shared remembrance of Oliver Dragojević. The musical programme "I Miss You", held as part of the Matulji Summer Evenings under the recognisable motto "The tramontana will refresh you!", attracted a large number of visitors to the school sports hall. According to information provided by the organisers, the venue was filled to the last seat, while the audience sang in unison throughout the evening to songs that have marked several generations. The concert was originally announced for the Matulji Amphitheatre, while the school sports hall was listed in the official announcement as an alternative venue in the event of unfavourable weather conditions. The change of venue did not diminish the audience's interest or the intensity of the atmosphere, which from the opening notes was marked by emotion, prolonged applause and shared choruses.
The central part of the evening belonged to Grupa Trend, the ensemble entrusted with performing Oliver's repertoire, while violinists Maja and Nataša Veljak also joined the programme. According to the report published after the concert, the performers took the audience through a selection of the best-known compositions from the extensive musical legacy of one of the most influential singers in Croatian popular music. Rather than attempting to imitate Oliver's unique interpretation, the evening was designed as a concert tribute in which familiar melodies received a new performance interpretation. It was precisely the participation of the audience, who took over the choruses and followed the songs from beginning to end, that gave the concert the character of a shared musical gathering. After the performance, the organisers thanked the performers and visitors, emphasising that evenings like this confirm the importance of programmes that connect music, the local community and memories.
Concert held on the eve of the eighth anniversary of Oliver's death
The timing of the Matulji "Oliver Evening" carried additional symbolism because the concert was held three days before the eighth anniversary of Oliver Dragojević's death. According to information from the record company Croatia Records, the singer died on 29 July 2018 at the age of 71, and in the same year he was awarded the Porin Lifetime Achievement Award. During a career spanning several decades, he built a repertoire that brought Dalmatian and broader Mediterranean musical sensibilities to audiences far beyond the region in which the songs originated. His interpretations remained recognisable for their combination of restraint, emotional depth and musical precision, which is why his compositions continue to be regularly performed at concerts, festivals and memorial programmes. The Matulji evening became part of this broader series of events through which Oliver's work is not preserved only in archives, but is passed on through new performances and the active participation of audiences.
Croatia Records states that Oliver released more than thirty studio, live and compilation albums during his rich recording career, and that he also performed in internationally renowned venues such as New York's Carnegie Hall, London's Royal Albert Hall, the Olympia in Paris and the Sydney Opera House. His importance, however, is equally evident on smaller stages, where his songs continue to function as part of personal and collective memories. Programmes such as "I Miss You" are founded precisely on this closeness: audiences do not experience the songs merely as concert repertoire, but as the musical accompaniment to different periods of their lives. For that reason, evenings dedicated to Oliver often turn into encounters between performers and audiences in which the boundary between the stage and the auditorium becomes less pronounced. In Matulji as well, according to reports from the event, collective singing was one of the most memorable parts of the programme.
Matulji Summer Evenings foster a combination of major names and the local scene
The "Oliver Evening" is part of the 31st edition of the Matulji Summer Evenings, an event presented by the Matulji Municipality Tourist Board as one of the town's central summer cultural programmes. According to official Tourist Board information, the event has been held since 1995, while the Amphitheatre in Matulji became its main stage after its construction in 2016. Throughout June, July and August, the programme is based on concerts, theatre performances, traditional content, film screenings and appearances by local associations. For 2026, the organisers announced a combination of established performers, young musicians and ensembles connected with the cultural life of Matulji and the wider Kvarner area. This programme structure allows different generations and musical tastes to come together at the same event, ranging from popular and original music to folklore, klapa singing and local festivities.
This year's motto, "The tramontana will refresh you!", draws on a local Chakavian expression and the natural motif of the tramontana, a northerly wind that brings refreshment during the summer. At the same time, the name of the event highlights the local identity and informal atmosphere of summer gatherings in the open air. Although the concert dedicated to Oliver was held indoors due to the weather conditions, the programme's fundamental idea remained the same: accessible cultural events intended for a broad audience. According to the official schedule, admission to all Matulji Summer Evenings events is free, while programmes announced for the Amphitheatre are moved to the school sports hall in the event of bad weather. Visitors coming to Matulji from other areas may also find accommodation offers in Matulji and the surrounding area useful, particularly if they plan to combine the evening programme with a stay in the Kvarner region.
Local Flavours Party combines music, wine and products from family farms
Following the emotional Sunday concert, the Matulji Summer Evenings continue on Friday, 31 July 2026, when the "Local Flavours Party" is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. in the Matulji Amphitheatre. The Matulji Municipality Tourist Board states that the programme combines musical entertainment with the presentation of authentic products, wines and offerings from local family farms. Jože Vešmašinov in Prijateli have been announced for the musical part of the evening, and the ensemble is expected to accompany the social gathering, dancing and tasting. Admission is free, while the details of individual gastronomic offerings and the method of tasting will depend on the exhibitors present at the event. The organisers present the programme as the finale of the July segment of the event and as a gathering intended for different generations.
The involvement of local producers gives the event a broader meaning than that of an ordinary summer concert. Visitors have the opportunity to become directly acquainted with the products and the people behind them, while smaller producers gain visibility among an audience that may not be familiar with the gastronomic offerings of the Matulji area. Such a format connects the cultural programme with the local economy and tourism promotion, although the evening's success will depend on the balance between entertainment and the credible presentation of the products. The official announcement currently confirms the participation of local producers and family farms, as well as an offering of authentic flavours and wines, without providing a complete list of exhibitors. Visitors are therefore advised to check any subsequent announcements from the organisers before arriving, particularly if the weather forecast requires a change of venue.
Klapa Skalin brings multipart singing back to the Amphitheatre stage
The programme continues on Sunday, 2 August 2026, with a concert by Klapa Skalin, also beginning at 9 p.m. in the Matulji Amphitheatre. The Tourist Board has announced an evening of multipart singing and a repertoire encompassing klapa standards and compositions associated with the ensemble's previous work. Klapa Skalin was founded in 2010 within the "Frlanija Pakal-Babulini" Association, according to information from the Festival of Dalmatian Klapas in Omiš and the Municipality of Matulji. Over the years, it has performed at local events, festivals and international competitions, building recognition within the Kvarner klapa scene. The concert in Matulji is therefore not merely another item on the summer schedule, but also an opportunity to introduce audiences to an ensemble whose development is closely connected with the local cultural environment.
Among Klapa Skalin's notable international results is the gold medal won in 2019 at the Canta al Mar international competition for vocal ensembles in Calella near Barcelona. According to an announcement from the Municipality of Matulji, the klapa, under the artistic direction of Anita Stupac Butorac, competed in the folk music category against ensembles from several countries. The ensemble has also achieved other festival distinctions, including a silver diploma at a competition in the Italian town of Grado, while at the beginning of 2026 it received the highest scores from both the jury and the audience at the Maškarani Klapa Marathon in Opatija. These awards add further weight to the concert announcement, but the Matulji performance remains above all an encounter between the klapa and the audience from the community in which it has been active since its foundation. The organisers expect an evening of recognisable multipart singing, direct communication with spectators and a repertoire that connects tradition with more recent klapa compositions.
Free programme and an alternative venue in the event of bad weather
Admission to the "Local Flavours Party" on 31 July and the Klapa Skalin concert on 2 August is free, as confirmed by the official announcements of the Matulji Municipality Tourist Board. Both events are scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. in the Amphitheatre, although the organisers reserve the option of moving the programme to the school sports hall in the event of rain or other unfavourable weather conditions. The experience of the "Oliver Evening" demonstrated that the alternative venue can accommodate a large audience and allow the programme to take place without cancellation. Since decisions concerning a change of venue are often made in accordance with short-term forecasts, visitors are advised to follow official announcements on the day of the event. Timely information is particularly important for those arriving from outside Matulji or planning to attend with children and older people.
The continuation of the programme during the final days of July and the beginning of August demonstrates the range on which the Matulji Summer Evenings are based. After a concert dedicated to one of the most important voices in Croatian popular music, there follows an evening focused on local products and socialising, followed by a performance from a local klapa with international festival experience. This sequence of events connects musical remembrance, gastronomic offerings and the vibrant local scene without charging admission. The full sports hall during the "Oliver Evening" has already confirmed that the audience recognises this concept and that there is strong interest in programmes that go beyond the format of a one-off concert. The next two evenings will show whether the same energy can be transferred back to the open space of the Amphitheatre, accompanied by the tramontana after which the event received its recognisable motto.
Sources:
- Matulji Municipality Tourist Board – official announcement of the "I Miss You" programme and information on admission and the alternative venue (link)
- Novi list – report on the held "Oliver Evening" and announcement of the upcoming events (link)
- Matulji Municipality Tourist Board – official information on the "Local Flavours Party" on 31 July 2026 (link)
- Matulji Municipality Tourist Board – official announcement of the Klapa Skalin concert on 2 August 2026 (link)
- Matulji Municipality Tourist Board – information on the 31st edition and the history of the Matulji Summer Evenings (link)
- Croatia Records – biographical and discographic information on Oliver Dragojević (link)
- Municipality of Matulji – information on Klapa Skalin's international gold medal at the 2019 Canta al Mar competition (link)
- Matulji Municipality Tourist Board – history of the event and information on the Amphitheatre as its main stage since 2016 (link)
- Festival of Dalmatian Klapas in Omiš – basic information on the foundation and activities of Klapa Skalin (link)
- HRT Radio Rijeka – Klapa Skalin's result at the 2026 Maškarani Klapa Marathon (link)