Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009

Dora 2009 was the seventeenth edition of the Croatian national selection Dora which selected Croatia's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. The competition consisted of a semi-final and a final on 27 and 28 February 2009 both taking place at the Hotel Kvarner in Opatija. The semi-final was broadcast on HRT 2, while the final was broadcast on HRT 1. Both shows were also broadcast via radio on HR 2 and online via the broadcaster's website hrt.hr.[3][4]

A total of twenty-four songs competed in Dora 2009 which consisted of two shows: a semi-final and a final. Fourteen of the songs were selected from open submissions and competed in the semi-final with public televoting selecting the top six to proceed to the final. In the final, the six qualifying songs in the semi-final alongside an additional ten pre-qualified songs competed and the winner was selected by votes from the public and a jury panel. Ties in the final were decided in favour of the entry that received the most points from the jury.[2][5][6]

On 26 October 2008, HRT opened a submission period where artists and composers were able to submit their entries to the broadcaster with the deadline on 12 December 2008. 199 entries were received by the broadcaster during the submission period.[7] A six-member expert committee consisting of Silvije Glojnarić (HRT), Robert Urlić (HR), Mirko Fodor (HTV), Željen Klašterka (HTV), Aleksandar Kostadinov (HTV) and Đurđica Ivanković (HR) reviewed the received submissions and selected fourteen artists and songs for the semi-final of the competition, while the ten pre-qualifying songs for the final were written by composers invited by HRT in consultation with the Croatian Composers' Society (HDS). The composers also selected the performer for their entry.[8][9] The invited composers were announced on 15 December 2008 and were:[10]

HRT announced the entries competing in the semi-final on 28 January 2009 during the radio programme Turki party broadcast on HR 2 and hosted by Zlatko Turkalj Turki.[11] Among the artists were Goran Karan who represented Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 and Feminnem which represented Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005.[12][13] The pre-qualified entries competing in the final were announced on 28 January 2009.[14] On 15 January 2009, the song "Raduj se", written by Boris Novković who represented Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, was withdrawn from the semi-final and replaced with "Kao jedno" performed by Sandra Bagarić.[15] On 2 February 2009, Goran Karan withdrew his song "Adam i Eva" from the semi-final and replaced with "Ma gdje bila" performed by Mario Battifiaca.[16][17]

The semi-final took place on 27 February 2009, hosted by Duško Ćurlić and Nevena Rendeli with Ida Prester and Iva Šulentić hosting segments from the green room.[18] The six qualifiers for the final were determined exclusively by a public televote.[19] In addition to the performances of the competing entries, the show was opened by the National Folk Dance Ensemble of Croatia LADO, while British Eurovision Song Contest 1976 winner Brotherhood of Man performed as the interval act.[20]

The final took place on 28 February 2009, hosted by Duško Ćurlić and Danijela Trbović with Ida Prester and Iva Šulentić hosting segments from the green room. The six entries that qualified from the semi-final alongside the ten pre-qualified entries competed and the winner, "Lijepa Tena" performed by Igor Cukrov, was determined by a 50/50 combination of votes from a six-member jury panel and a public televote.[21] The jury that voted in the final consisted of Đurđica Ivanković (HR), Silvije Glojnarić (HRT), Mirko Fodor (HTV), Aleksandar Kostadinov (HTV), Željen Klašterka (HTV) and Robert Urlić (HR).[22] In addition to the performances of the competing entries, the show was opened by 2008 Croatian Eurovision entrant Kraljevi ulice, while Paul Young performed as the interval act.[23][24]

Igor Cukrov and Andrea made several appearances across Europe to specifically promote "Lijepa Tena" as the Croatian Eurovision entry. On 7 March, Igor Cukrov and Andrea performed "Lijepa Tena" during the semi-final of the Serbian Eurovision national final Beovizija 2009.[25] On 19 April, the duo appeared in and performed during the TV SLO1 programme Spet doma in Slovenia.[26] On 24 April, Igor Cukrov and Andrea performed during the BHT 1 show Konačno petak in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[27]

Igor Cukrov and Andrea took part in technical rehearsals on 6 and 9 May, followed by dress rehearsals on 13 and 14 May.[31][32] The Croatian performance featured Igor Cukrov dressed in a black suit and Andrea in a white dress. Cukrov's outfit was designed by the fashion brand Estare Culto, while Andrea's dress was designed by the fashion brand ELFS.[33] The stage was dark with the LED screens projecting expanding blue flowers and a dancing couple. The performance also featured the use of a wind machine.[34][35] Cukrov and Andrea were joined on stage by four backing vocalists dressed in black: Ivana Čabraja, Jelena Majić, Karmen Matković and Sanja Jukić.[36]

At the end of the show, Croatia was announced as having qualified for the grand final. It was later revealed that Croatia was selected as the back-up jury qualifier after placing thirteenth in the semi-final, receiving a total of 33 points.[37]

Shortly after the second semi-final, a winners' press conference was held for the ten qualifying countries. As part of this press conference, the qualifying artists took part in a draw to determine the running order for the final. This draw was done in the order the countries appeared in the semi-final running order. Croatia was drawn to perform in position 5, following the entry from Sweden and before the entry from Portugal.[38]

Igor Cukrov and Andrea once again took part in dress rehearsals on 15 and 16 May before the final, including the jury final where the professional juries cast their final votes before the live show. The duo performed a repeat of their semi-final performance during the final on 16 May. At the conclusion of the voting, Croatia finished in eighteenth place with 45 points.[39]

The voting system for 2009 involved each country awarding points from 1–8, 10 and 12, with the points in the final being decided by a combination of 50% national jury and 50% televoting. Each nation's jury consisted of five music industry professionals who are citizens of the country they represent. This jury judged each entry based on: vocal capacity; the stage performance; the song's composition and originality; and the overall impression by the act. In addition, no member of a national jury was permitted to be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently.

Following the release of the full split voting by the EBU after the conclusion of the competition, it was revealed that Croatia had placed sixteenth with the public televote and nineteenth with the jury vote in the final. In the public vote, Croatia scored 55 points, while with the jury vote, Croatia scored 58 points.[40]

Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Croatia and awarded by Croatia in the second semi-final and grand final of the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Serbia in the semi-final and to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final of the contest.

The following members comprised the Croatian jury:[43]

• Tina Vukov – singer
• Silvije Glojnarić – conductor
• Doris Karamatić – academic musician, harpist
• Denis Vasilj – professor of music theory
• Darko Domitrović – composer

Detailed voting results from Croatia (Final)[40][44]

Draw	Country	Results			Points
		Jury	Televoting	Combined
01	Lithuania
02	Israel
03	France	2		2
04	Sweden
05	Croatia
06	Portugal
07	Iceland		6	6	2
08	Greece	8	5	13	7
09	Armenia
10	Russia
11	Azerbaijan	10	7	17	10
12	Bosnia and Herzegovina	12	12	24	12
13	Moldova	4	3	7	3
14	Malta	1		1
15	Estonia	5	4	9	6
16	Denmark
17	Germany
18	Turkey	3	2	5	1
19	Albania		8	8	5
20	Norway	6	10	16	8
21	Ukraine
22	Romania
23	United Kingdom	7	1	8	4
24	Finland
25	Spain