Peter Schreier he had decided to become a professional singer he took lessons, at first privately, then later on at the Dresden Academy of Music. He had enough time to also study choral and orchestral conducting. Peter Schreier made his professional debut in August 1959, playing the role of the First Prisoner in "Fidelio" by Beethoven. In the years that followed he was successful as Belmonte in "Die Entführung aus dem Serail" (Abduction from the Seraglio) and somewhat later as Tamino in "Die Zauberflöte" (The Magic Flute), both operas by Mozart. In 1963, he was employed by the Berlin State Opera at
Lisette Oropesa at the Ravinia Festival as Susanna in "Le nozze di Figaro", conducted by James Conlon; for Opera New Jersey as Lucia in "Lucia di Lammermoor"; at Arizona Opera as Gilda in "Rigoletto", again as Lucia; and at the New Orleans Opera as Gilda and as Leïla in "Les pêcheurs de perles". In April and May 2012, Oropesa appeared with the Pittsburgh Opera as Konstanze in a production of "The Abduction from the Seraglio" set on the Orient Express in the Pasha's private train car. In October 2012, she again performed the role of Lucia with the Arizona Opera to success.