Freiman Lidia
Main achievement
Latvian actress. People's Artist of the Soviet Union. Twice recipient of the III Class Stalin Prize. People's Artist of Latvia.
About
Lidia Freimane, born on April 6, 1920, in the village of Dondușeni in Bessarabia (present-day Republic of Moldova), became one of the most remarkable Latvian actresses of the 20th century, with an impressive career in cinema and theater. Debuting in film in 1955 with roles in productions such as "Uz jauno krastu" and "Salna pavasarī," where she portrayed memorable characters like Olga Līduma and Ilze, she continued to shine in over 15 Soviet and Latvian films, including "Pūt, vējiņi!" (1973, role of Orta), "Ceplis" (1972, Sausene), "Ezera sonāte" (1976, Alvīne), and "Meistars" (1977, where she starred alongside her daughter Katrīne Pasternaka). Awarded the title of People's Artist of the USSR (1970) and two Stalin Prizes (1950, 1951), Freimane excelled through the depth of her interpretations, combining emotional subtlety with inner drama. After studying at the drama school of the State Drama Theatre of the Latvian SSR (1945-1948), Lidia Freimane was an actress at the renowned Riga Drama Theatre (now the A. Upīts National Theatre) for 45 years, playing iconic roles such as Arkadina in Chekhov's "The Seagull," Sophocles' Electra, and Racine's Phèdre. Between 1966 and 1986, she led the Theatre Society of Latvia, contributing to the development of stage art, and as a deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR (6th-9th convocations), she influenced cultural policy. Her film career, marked by collaborations with Riga Studio and directors such as Gunārs Piesis or Jānis Streičs, also included international tours with recitals based on Bertolt Brecht. Although she moved with her family to Riga in 1921, where she initially worked as an accountant and typist before embracing acting, Lidia Freimane maintained ties with her Moldovan roots, being one of the few Bessarabian personalities who left their mark on the Latvian stage. Married to a member of the Pasternak family, she had two daughters, Kristīne and Katrīne Pasternaka, the latter collaborating with her in the film "Meistars." She passed away on January 18, 1992, in Riga, and was buried in the Forest Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of dedication to art in the Soviet context.
