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The outstanding Latvian actress Vija Artmane died on October 11 at the age of 79, the Latvian State Television program "Panorama" reported.

Vija Artmane is one of the greatest Latvian theater and film actresses of the 20th century, she is often referred to as the Latvian theater and film legend.

According to LETA files, Vija Artmane (born Alida Artmane) was born on August 21, 1929 in Tukums. After graduating from the Daile Theater Studio in 1949, Artmane remained a Daile Theater actress for most of her life.

Artmane played a great number of leading roles in director Eduards Smilgis' productions of classical plays by Rainis, Aspazija, Shakespeare, Blaumanis, Chekhov and others.

Since 1956, Artmane also played leading roles in many popular films shot in Latvia and the Soviet Union.

Artmane was married to actor Arturs Dimiters, they had two children: Kaspars Dimiters, who has become a popular musician, and sculptor and painter Kristiana Dimitere.

In 1969 Artmane was awarded as the People's Artist of the Soviet Union, she also received the Three Star Order and the "Night Of The Players" award and the Latvian national film festival "Lielais Kristaps" award for lifetime achievement in theater arts.