12.03.2004
The orchestra of the Rzeszów Philharmonic was led tonight by an extraordinary guest – the Bulgarian conductor Nayden Todorov. The music director of the Plovdiv Philharmonic and Opera is visiting our city for the second time now — and for the second time he met with a warm and kindly reception. Under his baton the musicians performed, among other works, Tchaikovsky's Fourth Symphony in F minor. Small wonder, then, that even today this music stirs its listeners and reaches even the less experienced music lovers.
02.2004
The full score of a once-dismissed ballet, brilliantly played and recorded, is a bargain… Spassov's readings are generally faster than those of Nayden Todorov (who is producer, as well as conductor, of the present recording); but this by no means produces any less exciting a result. On the contrary, the wider range of tempi enables the exciting climaxes to achieve their effect all the more powerfully.
2004
The Sofia National Opera Orchestra must have this particular ballet in its active repertoire… appealing, zesty, and wholly winning.
01.2004
The performance is exquisite, and the recording quality superb… As a performance, it would be hard to imagine a better one… If I may dream an impossible dream, I would wish that I could expose every lover of ballet, classical music, and lover of the story of Don Quixote to this recording. The Sofia National Opera Orchestra, along with Nayden Todorov, has produced a gem and should be proud.
12.2003
Naturally, there's plenty of musical opportunity for fiery Italian passion: fortunately, the cast was more than up to the task... Just as impressive were the orchestra and its conductor... a pleasure to watch.
23.11.2003
...it sounded surprisingly full, crisp and on-pitch, and the chorus delivered strong, resonant sound. Nayden Todorov, the conductor, kept things moving, allowing the singers leeway but making sure they didn't go overboard. He set crisp, swift tempi, and was in obvious control.
05.11.2003
The complete recording comes from the Sofia National Opera, Nayden Todorov conducting a totally idiomatic account using the tempos that would be ideal for dancers on stage. The orchestra is obviously well versed in the music, while the sound has a very natural quality.
04.11.2003
At GMU Sunday, Orchestra Verdi Europa sounded like a troupe of Mozart specialists. The orchestra, chorus and four soloists were all exemplary musicians, deeply familiar with Mozart's style and directed firmly and subtly by conductor Nayden Todorov. Symphony No. 40 emerged with high energy in the first movement, gentle colors in the second, intense drama in the minuet and quicksilver brilliance in the finale.
11.2003
The conductor was a master whose left hand seemed nearly fluid in his direction of the left side while the baton seemed to be an extension of his own arm directing the right.
11.2003
No doubt the success owed much to conductor Nayden Todorov who led his capable orchestra with controlled momentum. Tempos were sufficiently measured as to allow breathing room but not at the expense of the drama's forward thrust.
11.2003
The orchestra, under conductor Nayden Todorov, played with zest and genuine feeling for the romance of Donizetti's masterpiece. Here was a performance in which that mother of all set pieces, the often-parodied 'Lucia Sextet' came across as a compelling little musical drama.
26.10.2003
Manuel Sirera recorded with the Plovdiv Philharmonic, masterfully conducted by Nayden Todorov, a CD entitled "Mis arias favoritas" ("My Favourite Arias"), offering an enjoyable and prodigious selection of opera excerpts: Bohème, Traviata, Faust, Rigoletto, Werther, Gioconda…
22.10.2003
This presentation, overall, was excellent… The conductor, Nayden Todorov, did excellent work with the orchestra and the cast.
11.10.2003
With the youthful but commanding conductor Nayden Todorov in the pit, a first-rate company of singers brought the tale of star-crossed lovers caught in the crossfire of warring Scottish clansmen to vibrant life.
06.10.2003
A refreshingly honest acoustic sound – no synthesizer – came from the 43-piece pit orchestra. Conductor Nayden Todorov drew fine shaping from the strings. The brass section met his demands with fearless vigor, awesome accuracy only seldom overpowering the soloists, and excellent solo work from woodwinds wove through singers' arias.
08.2003
An audience worthy of the grandest occasions attended, on Saturday evening at the Tettuccio, the performance of "Carmen"… maestro Nayden Todorov conducted the orchestra in impeccable fashion. In short, for Montecatini yet another Ferragosto under the banner of the great music of opera.
18.07.2003
Salvatore Fisichella, stepping in for the title role, pulled the chestnuts from the fire and earned great applause. Only conductor Nayden Todorov, who led the chorus and orchestra of the Sofia National Opera through the score with spirit and great drive, was rewarded with even more applause... What the audience got to hear and see gripped them for a full three hours. That was first of all the merit of the Bulgarian conductor Todorov... With his presence and sensitivity in accompanying the arias, he conveyed the security that performers on stage need in order to concentrate fully on their singing and acting. They repaid him and the audience with remarkable achievements.
07.2003
Nayden Todorov in particular is a magician of sound, with feverish tempos and a feel for Gounod's elegance and melting melodiousness.
29.03.2003
The large forces of the Sofia Opera were excellently controlled and balanced by Nayden Todorov's consistent and logical conducting gestures.
19.03.2003
Nayden Todorov once again confirmed my conviction that he is among our most talented young musicians — a conductor with personal presence, a clear view of the score, able to demand the best from the orchestra. Under his baton it shone with the full range of its capabilities: Glinka's overture sounded as if "cast in one piece", impetuous and full-blooded, with perfect relief of the musical structure. And in Mussorgsky's "Pictures", which through Maurice Ravel's orchestration have become a virtuoso orchestral work, Todorov revealed himself as an interpreter with a fine sense for building the dramaturgy and the pictorial richness of the cycle.
08.03.2003
The "soulscape of sounds", as Ulrich Schreiber calls it in his "Art of Opera", was painted vividly and richly in colour not least by the orchestra under the baton of Nayden Todorov — whether the exotic shimmer in the Nile scene or the monumental splendour of sound in the Triumphal March… All in all, this was a lovingly presented and splendidly equipped "Aida" with good to outstanding singers.
02.2003
…there's a timeless imagery to the music under Todorov that transcends the printed page… Todorov obtains a massive sound from the Plovdiv players that makes all the difference in bringing out the "Titanesque" strength cited by one critic on hearing Glass conduct the First Symphony in Copenhagen.
02.2003
Comparison with the Marco Polo suggests that Nayden Todorov and Peter Marchbank are of like mind for the most part… yet there's a timeless imagery to the music under Todorov that transcends the printed page. [...] Todorov obtains a massive sound from the Plovdiv players that makes all the difference in bringing out the 'Titanesque' strength cited by one critic on hearing Glass conduct the First Symphony in Copenhagen.
31.01.2003
And the orchestra conducted by Nayden Todorov works on the whole with finesse.
01.2003
Great applause in the sold-out hall… High recognition is due to the achievement of the conductor, who led the orchestra with great precision. Lively mid-scene applause and roaring applause at the end proved that the audience had also musically experienced a great opera evening.