Alfredo Sadel

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Alfredo Sadel was the stage name of Manuel Alfredo Sánchez Luna, a famous Venezuelan singer and actor. He was born on February 22, 1930, in Caracas, Venezuela, and died on June 28, 1989, in Caracas at age 59. He showed a love for music from a young age, singing in the church choir and making his first big impression with Ave Maria at the Caracas Cathedral.

To avoid confusion with others named Sánchez, he changed his name to Alfredo Sadel, taking the SA from Sánchez and DEL in honor of his idol Carlos Gardel. He became known as "The Favorite Tenor of Venezuela." He studied at the Caracas School of Music and then performed in many places worldwide, including Mexico City, New York, Buenos Aires, Barcelona, Salzburg, and Milan. In 1948 he released Diamante Negro quickstep, Venezuela’s first major record, which helped launch his career. He also studied opera and sang roles such as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi's Rigoletto.

In 1985 he settled in New York and often traveled back to Caracas and to Medellín, Colombia, where he was very loved by the people. He hoped to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, but his health declined. He gave farewell concerts in 1988–1989 with the Venezuela Symphony Orchestra at the Teresa Carreño Theater. He performed memorable duets, including with soprano Alba Marina and with Beny Moré on the bolero "Alma libre." He was also a prolific composer, writing many songs.

Throughout his career he recorded more than 2,000 songs on about 130 albums released in different countries. The Alfredo Sadel Foundation preserves his work in a collection called "Alfredo Sadel Documents," keeping his voice and memory alive in Venezuelan culture. He died in Caracas at 59, leaving a lasting legacy in music.