Laca / Jenufa English National Opera
THE INDEPENDENT - Edward Seckerson - 12/10/06
While we're singing praises, I should single out Stuart Skelton's passionate, no-holds-barred, Laca - the "understudy" for Jenufa's affections. He has quite a voice - big,open, heroic. Will it give us a red-headed Siegfried one day?
THE TIMES - Richard Morrison - 11/10/06
What a superb London stage debut, too, by the Australian tenor Stuart Skelton, playing Laca.......his big voice exactly right for a man whose love is so great, but, whose powers of articulation so inadequate, that he can only vent his feelings through violent deeds. The moment when he hurls a table at the mob that has torn apart the set and threatens to lynch Jenufa is simply thrilling theatre.
BLOOMBERG - Warwick Thompson - 10/10/06
The Australian Stuart Skelton as the lovelorn Laca rattles the roof with his great ringing Heldentenor top notes, and the effect is thrilling in the extreme.
MUSICOMH.COM - Simon Thomas - 11/10/06
The performance of the night, though, is the stunning debut of Australian tenor Stuart Skelton, who sings with great beauty and a fine dramatic sense. From the beginning, his Laca is sympathetic and believable. I don't know why we haven't seen him in London before.
FINANCIAL TIMES - Andrew Clark - 11/10/06
Stuart Skelton is the finest Laca I have heard.
MAIL ON SUNDAY - David Mellor - 22/10/06
Australian tenor Stuart Skelton, making his London opera debut, is an outstanding Laca...
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH - John Allison - 15/10/06
Stuart Skelton's excellent Laca.
Laca / Jenufa Opera Frankfurt
1. HANAUER ANZEIGER - Klaus-Dieter Schuessler - 22/06/05
....The crown of this high-caliber evening is tenor Stuart Skelton in the role of Laca. With powerful, but always beautiful attack and secure intonation, the difficult part comes to life on the stage. Also dramatically he achieves an extraordinary performance. The powerful jealousy of the unlucky man is believably portrayed with vibrating sensuality and searing voice.
2. BILD ZEITUNG FRANKFURT - Wertung Toll - 21/06/05
....Terrific male voices, above all Stuart Skelton in the role of Laca.
3. MAINTAL TAGESANZEIGER - 25/06/05
....An exquisite performance was also presented by Stuart Skelton , who increasingly develops into a great hope amongst tenors. The Australian soloist enhanced the role of Laca Klemen markedly. He did not portray him as a simple farmers-fool, but rather as someone who is underestimated by everyone, but who possesses more sensitivity than anyone else in the town. He has his heart in the right place and even in the darkest moment stands by Jenufa, who he wants to lead to a better life. Skelton's pleasingly flexible voice was very fitting for this sensitive interpretation of the role. His voice has an unusual clear legato for a voice tending towards the Heldentenor. Skelton is able to control a narrow timbre, and yet is able to impress in the expressive passages with clearly defined power. The still young artist couples tasteful singing with vocal power. Not only the fans of the Frankfurt Opera may expect high achievements from Stuart Skelton.
4. THE OPERA CRITIC - Michael Sinclair - 10/06/05
....(Laca) is sensitively portrayed by Stuart Skelton using his warm, rich tenor voice to great effect, impressing particularly at the top of the range.
5. BAYERN 4 KLASSIK "ALLEGRO" - Wolf-Dieter Peter - 20/06/05
....Tenor Stuart Skelton as Laca appeared both in tone and stage presence as the successor to the until now unsurpassed William Cochran.
6. FRANKFURTER NEUE PRESSE - Michael Dellith - 21/06/05
....Amongst the men, Stuart Skelton pleased in the role of Laca as passionate soloist-dramatist, balancing between aggressiveness and gentleness.
7. DIE RHEINPFALZ - Frank Pommer- 21/06/05
....A further highlight: Stuart Skelton in the role of Laca, who let shine through that he has the stuff that Heldentenors are made of.
8. DARMSTAEDTER ECHO - Heinz Zietsch - 29/06/05
....With a brilliantly placed tenor-voice Stuart Skelton inhabits the part of Laca.
9. RHEIN-NECKAR-ZEITUNG - Bernd Zegowitz - 24/06/05
....Stuart Skelton sings this role of Laca with powerfully flowing voice as yet another stop on his path to one of the leading young Heldentenors. | 
