Nicolae Herlea
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Nicolae Herlea (b. August 28, 1927, Bucharest) is a Romanian operatic baritone, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, notably the role of Figaro, which he sang an estimated 550 times during his career.
He studied at the Music Conservatory of his native city with Aurelius Costescu-Duca, and later at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome with Giorgio Favaretto. In 1951, he won first prizes in international singing contests in Geneva, Prague, and Brussels. He made his stage debut that same year at the National Opera of Bucharest as Silvio in Pagliacci, quickly establishing himself as first baritone at that theatre.
In 1958, he began appearing abroad, notably at the Bolshoi in Moscow, where he would regularly returned. Guest appearances followed at the Royal Opera House in London (1961), at La Scala in Milan (1963), the Metropolitan Opera in New York (1964-67), also appearing at the Liceo in Barcelona, the Berlin Staatsoper, the Vienna State Opera, the Salzburg Festival, La Monnaie in Brussels, the opera houses of Prague and Budapest, etc.
He left complete studio recordings of Il barbiere di Siviglia, Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, La traviata, La forza del destino, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Tosca, on labels such as Supraphon and Electrecord.
Herlea also enjoyed considerable success in concert. Now retired, he gives masterclasses at the Bucharest Conservatory.
