Nicolae Herlea, born Herle, studied at the Conservatoire of Bucharest with Prof. Aurelius Costescu-Duca. Later he participated at specialization courses at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome by Maestro Giorgio Favaretto. In 1951 he debuted at the National Opera of Bucharest as Silvio in ' I Pagliacci ' and remained engaged since then as the first baritone at this house. In 1951 he won first prices at the international singing contests of Geneva, Prague and Brussels. Big success followed with appearances on leading stages: he sang at the Scala di Milano and at the National Opera of Prague, at the Bolschoj Theatre in Moscow and at the Berlin National Opera. In 1961 he was celebrated at the Covent Garden Opera in London, in the same year with the Bucharest Opera in Brussels. From 1964 to 1967 he was member of the Metropolitan Opera New York. In 1965 he sang at the Salzburger Festivals. Appearances at the operas of Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, at the Teatro Liceo Barcelona and repeatedly at the Wiener Staatsoper. In 1962 he received the People's Artist Title. Not only on stage, also in concert halls successfully and as a music critic actively.
Herlea leads at the moment masterclass specialisation courses at the Academy of Music in Bucharest and is the president of the jury of the Hariclea Darclée - Foundation.