Studer, 50, was born in Michigan and studied at Interlochen Arts Academy, Oberlin, the University of Tennesse at Knoxville, and Tanglewood. In the 1980s, she spent two years in the ensemble of the Bavarian State Opera and two with Deutsche Oper Berlin. She debuted at the Lyric of Chicago as Micaela in Carmen in 1984 and sang Elisabeth in Tannh‹user at Bayreuth in 1985. Debuts followed at the Liceu, Paris Opera, San Francisco Opera, Royal Opera House, La Scala, Metropolitan Opera, and Vienna State Opera.

Her many roles include Sieglinde in Die Walk‹re, Elsa in Lohengrin, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, and the Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. She is also a regular performer of art song and as a soloist with orchestra.