Mr Medvedev said in particular in his telegram:
“You have lost a close and dear person. And theatre, cinematography and millions of spectators have lost an exemplary and beloved actress. Via Artmane was an idol for entire generations: bright, spiritually generous and an immensely talented person, who excelled in very different artistic forms.”
Latvian actress Via Artmane died on Saturday at the age of 79. She was awarded the title of People’s Artist of the USSR and was one of Soviet cinema’s most popular actresses in the 1970s, appearing in around 40 films. Via Artmane worked for almost 50 years at the Janis Rainis Riga Art Theatre in the Latvian capital, Riga.