We often consider about the probably most important performances or concerts in the long 50 years existence of the Tamburica Uzlop. Among their enormous number it is an almost impossible attempt to find out the most important and outstanding gigs. Each concert, each performance, affected the development of the ensemble in its own way.
However, there is always one „most important“ performance: the next performance. For that we rehearse and train intensively, we want to be prepared well, independent of the occasion, the organizer and the venue. Because everyone who invites the Tamburica Uzlop to play and dance expects a high-quality program – and the Tamburica Uzlop is keen to live up those expectations.
Folk dances
The Tamburica Uzlop has various dances and choreographies in its program. Unlike the folk songs only few dances, like the „Kroatisch-Schottisch aus Oslip“, are traditional ones. So in the beginning the Tamburica Uzlop had to put the focus on dances and steps from Croatia. From that time the TU still has dances like „Oj Ivane“, „Medjimurje“ or the men´s dance „Banat“ in its repertoire. After a while tamburica ensembles in Burgenland started to trace old dances from the Burgenland-Croats, which were known in their towns. Old tunes and dance-steps were discovered and set into different choreographies. One example the Tamburica Uzlop loves to dance is the „Sridnje“ (dances from Middle Burgenland).
Finally the Tamburica Uzlop created three special choreographies originally from Oslip, influenced by different folk songs, dances, dance-steps and customs, which were common in Oslip in the old days: „Na tanac“ (dances and customs from the dancefloor), „Mi Uzlopci“ (dances and customs of the vineyard wardens), „Pir“ (wedding dances and customs).
In concert
Aside folk songs and folkdances the Tamburica Uzlop performs also concert pieces, especially arranged for tamburica instruments almost since its establishment. Remarkable is the musical contribution to the „Die lustige Witwe/The Merry Widow“ at the famous operetta-festival Seefestspiele Mörbisch in 1964. The intensive rehearsing of those compositions entailed a remarkable increase of the orchestra´s level and class.
The Tamburica Uzlop performs those concert pieces at various festive events and has many hymns and church songs in its repertoire, often performed at masses and religious festivities. The ensemble is also often invited to set the musical frame of weddings and baptism ceremonies. Every second year the Tamburica Uzlop arranges a concert called „Tamburica and Wine“, a varied selection of folk songs and composition for tamburica orchestra accompanied by a presentation of the best wines of the Oslip vintners.
Since twenty years one day before Christmas Eve the „Christmas Concert“ in the parish church of Oslip takes place. It is a tranquil and contemplative concert with Christmas carols from various regions and countries. For many people it has become tradition to visit this event, most of all because it is a perfect opportunity to get in the right mood for the most wonderful time of the year – Christmas time.
Theatre
According to oral tradition the youth of Oslip regularly performs plays under the direction of the former local schoolmasters since the 19th century. This tradition was kept on in the 20th century and was intensified by the Tamburica Uzlop.
The old Croatian plays always were framed with songs. The Tamburica Uzlop expanded that tradition. Who is not involved as an actor or actress performs in the “stage orchestra”. In this way all members of the tamburica ensemble are involved in the play and on the other hand the songs are accompanied by the right suitable music.
Approximately since 1970 some plays were written especially for the ensemble in order to find ways to adopt the plot and the number of characters to the potentials of the Tamburica Uzlop.
Even small music pieces were composed to frame the plot. The topics the plays deal with are widely ranged, from light entertainment, crime stories, fantasy to plays with historic backgrounds. All plays have one in common: They are comedies with the declared aim of the Tamburica Uzlop to entertain and please the audience and to make people laugh.
2019 Nemirni dani u Vili Borovica
2017 Sanje Ivanjske noći
2015 Nepoznati revizor
2013 Viške
2011 Starih gospov gosti
2009 Stariotac od materine strani
2006 Moral i pravičnost
2004 Svit Fantazija
2002 Mandićeva ganjka
2000 Tudjinci
1998 Pohod
1996 Pismo
1994 Inka zlato
1992 Tri ure u polnoć
1990 U Starom Malinu
1988 Cigan
Young Generation
2017 U svitu fantazije
2016 Čarobna lampa
2014 U ruka divljega štakora