Template:Did you know nominations/Karl Beck (tenor)

Karl Beck (tenor)

 * ... that the Austrian tenor Karl Beck created the title role in Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin, but soon retired from singing due to a lingering throat infection, and became a master baker?
 * Reviewed: Kathleen Simon, Viscountess Simon

Created by JackofOz (talk). Self nom at 00:02, 11 January 2013 (UTC)




 * Symbol possible vote.svg The date and length check out. The article is well-sourced. However, the hook exceeds the limit, being 240 characters long. Is there any way it can be shortened? Surtsicna (talk) 18:32, 12 January 2013 (UTC)


 * I've whittled it down to 156 characters. But in so doing, I've restored the word "the" between "that" and "Austrian tenor".  I'm not gonna die in a ditch over it, but I despise this writing style where things like "Austrian tenor" or "Venezuelan astrologer" or "English novelist" are treated as titles.  They're not, they're simply descriptors.  --   Jack of Oz   [Talk]  22:25, 12 January 2013 (UTC)
 * Pictogram voting keep.svg It is alright now. Are you sure you had to restore the word "the"? I don't see how shortening the hook could have made it necessary. Anyway, I would suggest mentioning his career change earlier in the hook so that it's easier to notice by just glancing over the DYK section. It is guaranteed to attract many views, but readers not interested in opera might lose interest before reaching the "master baker" part. For example:
 * "that the Austrian tenor Karl Beck, author of the title role in Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin, became a master baker after retiring from singing due to a lingering throat infection?"
 * Or even: "that the Austrian tenor Karl Beck became a master baker after..." These might be a bit clumsy, but I hope you understand what I mean. This is only a suggestion, of course. Surtsicna (talk) 12:32, 13 January 2013 (UTC)
 * User:Mandarax removed "the" without discussion here. I restored it as soon as I noticed it was gone.  I would have done it anyway, it just happened to coincide with addressing your comments about the length of the hook.
 * I like your latest idea, and I now propose:
 * ALT1 "... that the Austrian tenor Karl Beck became a master baker after his singing career, which included creating the title role in Wagner's opera Lohengrin, was cut short by a deterioration in his voice" (163 characters). --   Jack of Oz   [Talk]  21:22, 13 January 2013 (UTC)
 * That's exactly what I had in mind. I am sure that many people will be tempted to read more about Beck and that the hook will be added to DYKSTATS. Surtsicna (talk) 22:14, 13 January 2013 (UTC)