In 1986, Studer made her debut at the Liceu as Freia in Wagner's "Das Rheingold" and her debut at Opéra de Paris as Pamina in Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte". That same year, she made her debut with the San Francisco Opera as Eva in Wagner's "Die Meistersinger". In 1987, Studer made her debut with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, as Elisabeth in Wagner's "Tannhäuser" and her debut at La Scala as Donna Anna in Mozart's "Don Giovanni". In 1988, Studer made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Micaëla in Bizet's "Carmen". That same year she returned to La Scala to perform the role of Mathilde in Rossini's "William Tell". She sang Agathe in Carl Maria von Weber's "Der Freischütz" at the Théâtre Musical de Paris.