In 2000, she also sang Richard Strauss' "Four Last Songs" with the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by David Zinman substituting for an ailing Claudio Abbado. She also sang the "Walküre" Brünnhilde' in concert in Budapest with the Budapest Festival Orchestra under the direction of Iván Fischer. In February 2001, Studer sang the role of the Kaiserin (Empress) in Richard Strauss' "Die Frau ohne Schatten" at the Dresden Semperoper conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli. She revisited the role at the Vienna State Opera in 2002 in the Robert Carsen production. Around this time, Studer also sang back-to-back performances of the Kaiserin and the Marschallin at the Semperoper conducted by . In June 2001, Studer sang "Elisabeth" in performances of Werner Herzog's production of Richard Wagner's Tannhäuser at the Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.