Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2015 October 30

= October 30 =

Opera roles
Which opera role is considered the most difficult of all? 2601:646:8E01:9089:89AF:166C:3B18:EC6C (talk) 04:15, 30 October 2015 (UTC)


 * Most difficult in what respect? Considered by whom? Since this is a matter of opinion I suggest you Google "most difficult roles in opera" and that will provide you with various opinions.--Shantavira|feed me 08:50, 30 October 2015 (UTC)


 * One anecdotal bit of information I saw on youtube which can be generalized to some degree: Kirsten Flagstad was commenting on playing Brünnhilde, essentially saying that you don't just start out with that role - it's something you have to work up to, through years of voice training and practice. I would think the same could be said for many classic opera roles. But that doesn't say Brünnhilde is the most difficult, only that it's more difficult than singing nursery rhymes in grade school, for example. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 13:41, 30 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Well, of course you'd mention her. ---Sluzzelin talk  13:56, 30 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Ja! Here's the youtube thing I was talking about. Her spoken comments start about 30 seconds in. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 14:45, 30 October 2015 (UTC)

This depends on how long the role is, how long notes have to be held, and what type of range you are looking for (soprano, tenor, etc). Because it can vary, I am going to go by harm on the body and go ahead and say soprano roles would be the most punishing due the effects of vocal strain. Sopranos throats get absolutely trashed after large or long performances due to the inflammation of the vocal chords being vibrated so hard. So the most punishing or difficult from my perspective would be Il Dolce Suono from Lucia di Lammermoor. Whoever sings it has to sing higher and more varied than the accompanying flute. There are also incredible range changes in this piece towards the end that make you cringe they're so merciless. ImpatientTomato (talk) 23:52, 5 November 2015 (UTC)

BLP - Estella Warren's DOB
Hello helpful Wikipedian! I'm hoping to verify Estella Warren's birthdate. The source used in the article cites the following source:
 * "Estella Warren." Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Vol. 69. Gale, 2006. Gale Biography In Context. Web. May 26, 2011.

I think this is it at Google Books, but I don't see a full birthdate in the preview, and frankly the birth year is hard to read. (I think it's 1978)

Much appreciated if you can help. Thanks! Cyphoidbomb (talk) 15:28, 30 October 2015 (UTC)
 * You may also want to ask at WP:REX, which is a good place to get help if you need access to a reference where you know what you need, but can't access it. -- Jayron 32 15:55, 30 October 2015 (UTC)
 * If she was born in 1970 as the article currently claims (but the talk page greatly disputes) she would not have been eligible to be on a junior's team in 1995. Rmhermen (talk) 15:58, 30 October 2015 (UTC)


 * Gale Biography in Context, which you cite, states that she was born on December 23, 1978. I also found an article in the Globe & Mail from August 3, 2000, which states that she was 21 and also gives her age as 17 in 1996. The article would be completely fictional if, as our article currently says, she were born in 1970. John M Baker (talk) 02:40, 31 October 2015 (UTC)


 * Thanks all. Cyphoidbomb (talk) 16:41, 1 November 2015 (UTC)
 * I have edited our article to give her correct birthdate and to explain why some people mistakenly believe she was born in 1970. John M Baker (talk) 22:31, 1 November 2015 (UTC)