Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Carmina Burana brings together orchestras from Bulgaria, Greece and North Macedonia in Sofia

Conductor Nayden Todorov: We should not break the ties with each other, because the wheel keeps turning

Photo: BTA

A concert performance of the stage cantata Carmina Burana by Carl Orff in Sofia has turned into a celebration for music lovers and a testament to the power of music to melt ice in diplomacy.

For the first time, three orchestras from three neighboring Balkan countries took to the same stage. The Sofia Philharmonic, the Philharmonic of North Macedonia and the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra were joined by the Bulgarian National Philharmonic Choir "Svetoslav Obretenov" and three soloists - one from each of the three countries under the baton of the conductor of the Sofia Philharmonic Nayden Todorov.

Conductor Nayden Todorov
"Because Bulgaria and North Macedonia, North Macedonia and Greece, Bulgaria and Greece have always had special relations, we, the leaders of the three orchestras, decided to show that we can actually work great together. We need to show that something is coming from the Balkans that can be an example for the whole of Europe, that we can work together, that we can rebuild the bridges that seem to be gone and we can reverse a process that is very frightening - the process of division," conductor Nayden Todorov said in an interview with BNT. 


The magnetic sound created by 240 musicians on stage did not leave indifferent any spectator in the audience on February 17 in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia. Each of the performances by soprano Ana Durlovski (Republic of Macedonia), tenor Nikolas Spanos (Greece) and baritone Ivo Yordanov (Bulgaria) was wildly applauded by the audience, BTA reports. 

And conductor Nayden Todorov promised: "With our colleagues from Greece and North Macedonia, we are embarking on something new." 


The choice of a a musical composition for this first joint performance is not at all accidental: 

"Carmina Burana" carries an idea that is very important to us, namely the wheel of fate. What goes down today goes up tomorrow, what is up today can be down tomorrow. And this is our message. We should not sever the links with each other, because the wheel continues to turn," Nayden Todorov adds in his television interview.


Photos: BTA


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

''Without You'' – the first collaborative song by Horizont band and Mariana Popova

The rock musicians from Horizont band and the singer Mariana Popova have recorded a joint song – ''Without You''. ''We’ve known Mariana since the time when she sang in a very solid band (Kokomania). Even back then she was our favorite because of..

published on 11/22/25 6:10 AM

The prima of Bulgarian pop music will sing in Olympia Hall in Paris on May 24

Lili Ivanova will sing for the second time in the Olympia Hall. The concert is scheduled for May 24, 2026 and is under the auspices of President Rumen Radev, the team of the pop star informs. Lili Ivanova sends special thanks to..

published on 11/18/25 10:57 AM

Mary Boys Band celebrate 30 years on stage with a large symphony orchestra

One of the events with which Mary Boys Band mark their 30th anniversary is a concert with a large symphony orchestra in Bulgaria Hall in Sofia on November 21. The singer in the band, Maria Mutafchieva – Mary, says that this has been her dream for a..

published on 11/17/25 6:10 PM