About Käbi Laretei
Lived 1922 – 2014 (aged 92). Käbi Laretei was an Estonian and Swedish pianist, composer, writer, film actor, actor and concert pianist.
Käbi Alma Laretei (14 July 1922 – 31 October 2014) was an Estonian-Swedish concert pianist.
Her father Heinrich Laretei was a diplomat in the service of the Republic of Estonia as ambassador to Sweden; when the Soviet Union occupied Estonia in 1940, the family did not return to Estonia. Her piano teacher was Maria-Luisa Strub-Moresco, who had an indirect influence on the artistic choices of Laretei's later husband, Ingmar Bergman. Laretei had a long and distinguished career as a pianist, and in the 1960s she played to packed halls in the United Kingdom, Sweden, West Germany, and the United States, including Carnegie Hall.
From 1950 to 1959, Laretei was married to Gunnar Staern, with whom she had a daughter, Linda (born 1955). Laretei is also known for her marriage to and professional collaborations with film director Ingmar Bergman; Laretei was his fourth wife. They met in the late 1950s, and were married in 1959. She introduced Bergman to a variety of music, some of which he would use in film scores. They divorced in 1969, though the marriage was effectively over by 1966. His 1961 film Through a Glass Darkly is dedicated to Laretei. They had a son, Daniel Bergman (born 1962), who is also a film director. Laretei worked with Igor Stravinsky and Paul Hindemith.
She died on 31 October 2014 at the age of 92.
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Important facts
Family & relationships
People in Käbi Laretei's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Käbi Laretei's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Käbi Laretei?
Estonian-Swedish pianist (1922-2014)
When was Käbi Laretei born?
Käbi Laretei was born on 14 July 1922 in Tartu.
When did Käbi Laretei die?
Käbi Laretei died on 31 October 2014 in Stockholm.
What was Käbi Laretei's occupation?
Käbi Laretei was a pianist, composer, writer, film actor, actor and concert pianist.
What nationality was Käbi Laretei?
Käbi Laretei was Estonian and Swedish.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Käbi Laretei. https://biography.guide/kabi-laretei/
MLA: "Käbi Laretei." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/kabi-laretei/.
Chicago: "Käbi Laretei." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/kabi-laretei/.
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