Considered as one of the Philippines’ acclaimed tenors.   Lemuel dela Cruz graduated from the University of  Santo Tomas (UST) with a Bachelor of Music degree under Maestra Salvacion Oppus Yniguez.  He went to the Hongkong Academy for the Performing Arts and, having been given a grant from the Duchess of Kent International Scholarship fund, finished his professional diploma in Opera Studies (with distinction). 

    Among the operatic roles that Mr. Dela Cruz performed in Hong Kong were Count Almaviva in “Barber of Seville”, Prince Giovanni in “Una Cosa Rara”, Rinuccio in “Gianni Schicci” and Angel in “Die Shauspiel Direktor”.  He did a number of productions with the Singapore Lyric Opera.  He was Gaston in  “La Traviata”, Alfred in “Die Fledermaus”, Detlef in “Student Prince” Beppe in “I Pagliacci” Malcolm in “Macbeth”, Ruiz in “Il Trovatore” and Remendado in “Carmen”.  Likewise, he was the Singapore Symphony Orchestra soloist in the presentation of Mozart’s “Requiem” and Resphigi’s “Laude to Nativity”.  In the Philippines, Mr. Dela Cruz sang Nemorino in “L’ Elisir d’ Amore”, Elias in “Sikhay sa kabila ng Paalam”, Don Diego/Don Luis in “La Naval”, Tenyong in “Walang Sugat”, Dindoy in “Ang sarsuela sa San Salvador” and Lord Takayama Ukon which he also performed in different key cities in Japan. 

    His recordings include “Missa Misterium” by Dr. Francisco Feliciano, “Harvest- 25 years of Hong Kong International Assembly”, “The Philippine Christmas Festival” with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, and “Filipino Gems” with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by the late Redento Romero.  His last recording, which was released in 2009, was a collection of Ilocano and Pangasinan love songs entitled “O Naraniag A Bulan” produced by Tawid Publications Inc.

   
    In July 2006, he was in the cast of “Le Nozze Di Figaro” in Singapore playing dual roles, Don Basilio and Don Curzio.  He also sang the lead role of “Fences of the Heart” in its world premiere.  And in that same year, he played the role of Triquet in “Eugene Onegin” in the Philippines.

    In January 2008, he was in Singapore again as part of the cast of “La Traviata” playing Gastone.  In September of that year, he played the role of “Pong” in the Puccini’s “Turandot” also produced by the Singapore Lyric Opera.

In March 2009, he played two roles in Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffman as Spalanzani and Nathanael also produced by Singapore Lyric Opera.  September of that same year, he was the first Filipino to be invited to go to L’Opera de Nice in Nice, France to perform in the opera “Manon Lescaut” by Puccini.

Last July 2010, he performed again at the Esplanade for Singapore Lyric Opera’s production of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”.  And this coming August 2011, with the same opera company,  he will play  “Narraboth” in Strauss’ Salome.  

Throughout his musical career, Mr. Dela Cruz was also recognized as a Young Thomasian Achiever in 2002.  In 2004, he was chosen as one of the Top Young Leaders of the Philippines given by the Philippine Graphic Magazine.  And recently, he was a recipient of the 2010 Aliw Awards.

Among others, Dela Cruz is also a Pop and Broadway singer.  He also currently teaches at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Conservatory of Music.