Boy soprano Stephen Cruz, who returns to LA Opera as the Second Boy in The Magic Flute (January 2009), is 13 years old and has been singing with the Los Angeles Children's Chorus under the artistic direction of Anne Tomlinson for six years. His love for opera was first sparked by LA Opera's 2004 production of Carmen, where he was inspired by the passion and energy of conductors Plácido Domingo and Nicola Luisotti, performing as a street urchin side-by-side with his brothers CJ and Nathan. In 2005, he had the great privilege of working with director Robert Wilson as Young Parsifal in Parsifal, and again in 2006, in the role of Trouble, Cio-Cio-San's child, creatively choreographed by Christiane Levique in Madama Butterfly. For this Mark Swed of Los Angeles Times wrote: "He stole the show in this silent role… he revealed that movement has ineffable meaning…" Other LA Opera appearances include Hansel and Gretel, Don Carlo, Tosca, Pagliacci and Der Rosenkavalier.

Recently, Stephen performed the lead role of Little Joe in the LA Opera Camp production of Brundibar, conducted by James Conlon and Daniel Faltus, stage direction by Eli Villanueva, vocal coaching by Karen Hogle Brown and movements by Leslie Stevens. Other performances with LA Opera Outreach Camp include Judas Maccabeaus (2008), Figaro's American Adventure (2007), and Brundibar (2005). Stephen made his debut as a boy soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Los Angeles Chamber Choir, conducted by Chung Lee and vocal coaching by Sunjoo Yeo in December 2007.

As part of LACC, Stephen has also performed with the LA Philharmonic and LA Master Chorale at the Walt Disney Hall and Hollywood Bowl, Long Beach Symphony Orchestra, USC Thornton Symphony and Choral Artists. As part of the LACC China tour, he performed with the Stanford Union Choral and National Center for Performing Arts and The Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and at the Shanghai Oriental Arts Center.

Stephen is in eighth grade with Oak Park ISP, a boy scout of Troop 626, and a Servant for Christ volunteer at Grace Community Church. He also attends Johns Hopkins University's CTY Summer Programs and is an avid tennis player.