Linda Lampenius

Actor

Born: February 26, 1970 (age 56) · Helsinki, Finland

Linda Cullberg Lampenius, better known by her maiden name Linda Lampenius and international stage name Linda Brava, (born 26 February 1970) is a Finnish classical concert violinist. Named as one of the most versatile and accomplished players of her generation, Brava has also performed pop, rock, folk, techno, film, jazz, and world music, among others.

Brava was born into a Swedish-speaking Finnish family in which music formed a vital part of life. Her father, Börje Lampenius (1921–2016), was a former theatre director, actor, singer, and also composer of musicals and operettas. Her mother, Ulla Eklund, is a former actress and singer. Both of them worked at the Swedish Theatre in Helsinki.

After attending a musical kindergarten, Brava began studying the violin at the age of five, under the guidance of Géza Szilvay, the developer of the Colourstrings method. Brava's career then began as a member and soloist of the Helsinki Strings at the age of seven with players two and even three times her age.

Brava appeared in the Finnish film classic "Akseli ja Elina" in 1970. Her mother played the lead and she was her daughter-in-arms. Throughout her childhood, Brava had small roles among others in productions of the Swedish Theatre, touring in Sweden and Norway with the theatre company as well. Since the 1990s, Brava has appeared in a few Finnish and Swedish TV series, including "Kadonnut näky", "Uuno Turhapuro", and "Cleo". Brava has also starred in the Finnish comedy television series "Kultajukka & kumppanit" on YLE. Among her other roles on the show, she parodied her own public image in Finland, playing the "Media Linda", a stupid blonde, who carries a violin and invades everywhere in little outfits.

While living in Los Angeles, Brava was offered roles in "Fame L.A.", "Melrose Place", and "Baywatch", and she was also asked to star a television talk show as its musical guest host. Brava refused to sign any long-term contracts but agreed to appear in one episode of "Fame L.A." as a guest star, playing Ilsa Lundqvist, a Swedish violinist, who ends up playing the violin at a Christmas party of an art school, having one of the students fall in love with her. After months of persuading by Douglas Schwartz, Brava also agreed to appear in one episode of "Baywatch", in which she portrayed Ariana, a European violinist in trouble. Both of the shows used music from Brava's pop album, including the pieces "Violator" and "Aquamarine".