Born in Montreal, Quebec, Alarie was the daughter of a choirmaster, assistant conductor of the Société Canadienne d'opérettes, and of a soprano and actress.

While studying voice with Victor Issaurel, she made her debut in 1938 at Les Variétés lyriques in the operetta The White Horse Inn.

She spent three seasons at the Met singing Olympia in Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann and Blonde in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, among others.

Alarie also had an important career in North America, appearing in opera and in recital in San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York City, New Orleans, etc.

After retiring from singing, Alarie became active as a teacher, she taught first at the Ecole Vincent d'Indy in Montréal and later at the Banff Centre.