Freiman, Lidiia

(Lidija Freimane; married name, Pasternak). Born Apr. 6, 1920, in Dondiushany, in what is now the Moldavian SSR. Soviet Latvian actress. People’s Artist of the USSR (1970). Member of the CPSU since 1962.

Freiman graduated from the school of the Drama Theater of the Latvian SSR (now the Latvian Academic Drama Theater) in 1947 and became a member of the theater’s permanent company. Her best roles are those of strong, courageous women, such as Anita in Lācis’ The Fisherman’s Son (State Prize of the USSR, 1950), Ošu Anna in Upīts’ The Green Earth (State Prize of the USSR, 1951), Nadezhda in Gorky’s The Barbarians, Stella (Mrs. Patrick Campbell) in Kilty’s Dear Liar, Zelma in Gulbis’ Larks, and the title roles in Trenev’s Liubov’ larovaia and Racine’s Phèdre. Freiman’s portrayals are restrained but intense. She has put together a program of selections from the works of B. Brecht and has performed the program in the USSR and abroad.

Freiman was a deputy to the sixth through eighth convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR. She became chairman of the Latvian Theatrical Society in 1966. Freiman has been awarded the Badge of Honor and various medals.