Between 1965 and 1967, she studied voice with tenor Ralph Errolle in South Pasadena, California, supporting herself by teaching first grade and church and synagogue singing jobs on the weekends. Auger began her professional singing career after winning the I. Viktor Fuchs Vocal Competition in Los Angeles in 1967, which brought her some singing engagements and airfare to Vienna; she also appeared with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at this time. She was signed by the Vienna Staatsoper soon after her arrival there—despite her lack of knowledge of the German language—after impressing Josef Krips, remaining with the company for seven years. Her debut was in Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte" under Krips. She made her American debut with the same opera in 1969, with the New York City Opera. Her Metropolitan Opera debut was as Marzelline in "Fidelio", under Karl Böhm.