She studied opera in Graz and Berlin, making her operatic debut in 1901 as Puck in Weber's "Oberon". She began singing major roles such as Azucena in "Il trovatore", Carmen, Mignon, Waltraute and Erda in the "Ring" operas and Ortrud in "Lohengrin". She first achieved fame in Europe as a contralto and mezzo-soprano, and she was engaged to appear at the 1911 Bayreuth Festival. She was tempted to tackle soprano parts as well but this expansion upwards of her repertoire did not prove to be an unqualified success due to limitations with her highest notes.