 In 1954 she won first prize at the Polish Young Vocalists Contest in Warsaw which led to engagements to sing on the Polish National Radio and to perform as a soloist with the Kraków Philharmonic.In 1956 she made her professional opera debut with Opera Krakowska in the title role of Stanisław Moniuszko's "Halka".She returned there the following year to portray the title role Puccini's "Madama Butterfly".