irene salemka was born in friedensfeld, manitoba; the family moved to weyburn, saskatchewan where her father was a lutheran minister. she studied singing in weyburn and in regina, saskatchewan, and won an award in cbc radio's "singing stars of tomorrow" in 1953. in 1952 she appeared at the montreal festivals as juliette in gounod's "roméo et juliette"; her debut at the canadian opera company was in the title role in "madama butterfly" in 1953.