The celebrities arrive at Toralv Maurstad’s funeral ceremony – VG

Family, friends, acting colleagues and the king remember Toralv Maurstad in Oslo Cathedral. Maurstad’s wife gave a strong memorial speech.

– He died while Beate was holding him, said priest Trond Bakkevig in his speech at the funeral ceremony.

Beate Eriksen (62), who is herself an actress, was married for 22 years to Toralv Maurstad.

– Beate – they were soul mates – she never got jealous when he said he loved the theater more than her, the priest continued.

– He called her the love of his life.

The acting legend Toralv Maurstad fell asleep quietly on Friday 4 November – aged 95.

The funeral ceremony takes place on his birthday.

The widow Beate Eriksen was the last to speak in Oslo Cathedral.

– For 30 years it has been us at the theatre, on the island or in Nordfjord, she said.

– Every morning, up early, pulling nets in storms and storms, “now the boat is sliding towards the archipelago lake”, said Toralv, while he scolded me for rowing too fast. We could sit in that boat and look up at the mountain where we got married. You expanded me, you made me laugh, we grew together.

Maurstad’s widow continued:

– You expanded me, you made me laugh, we grew together.

– We were us, we were one, we were the fabric from which dreams are woven.

Open about stroke

The family has previously been open about Maurstad’s stroke.

Eriksen told about a day long ago, when Maurstad was out for a walk and was gone for a long time:

– He was so serious when he came home. “Sit down,” he said. It was like an earthquake went through me, the widow said in the speech.

– “I can’t remember your name,” he said. Yes, then what I feared has happened. You know what? It should not be allowed to die.

Eriksen tells about the task she was given by the doctor after his first stroke:

– “You have a job now, protect him, not too much, not too many”, but how to protect the most social human the creator has created?

– Toralv, you were the world’s bravest soul, you were like a tough bull’s-eye. And now, I want people to see you as I see you.

Finally, she turns to the coffin and says:

– In my faith, in my hope, and in my love.

King Harald remembers Maurstad

Maurstad is honored with a funeral at the state’s expense.

A few minutes before the funeral ceremony began, King Harald arrived.

The ceremony began at 12 o’clock – and can be followed live here:

– Me and Toralv had a very close and close relationship, and we loved each other in many ways, said actress Ellen Horn when she arrived at Oslo Cathedral.

See photos of the celebrities here:

Here is the program for the day. The priest is Trond Bakkevig. There will be memorial speeches by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, theater director Erik Ulfsby and Petter Skavlan, among others.

Standing ovation

In his speech, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said that we are saying goodbye to one of the greatest figures from Norwegian theatre.

– We honor a life’s work that was groundbreaking and unforgettable. Toralv Maurstad, always sparklingly alive on the theater stage, screen and in life, said Støre.

– The traces he leaves in us are many, and they remain.

Støre further said that Toralv was referred to as a legend even before his death.

– He must have chuckled about this legend himself: “Legend alive and well, that’s okay, I’m not dead after all”. Now we can safely refer to him as a legend.

Then it was theater manager Erik Ulfsby who spoke:

– On behalf of the entire Norwegian theater community, I encourage you to give a final warm round of applause.

Everyone in the cathedral rose to a standing ovation.

Screenwriter and producer Petter Skavlan also gave a speech in the church.

There he opened by saying:

– “Good God, it’s Toralv Maurstad”, the mother is said to have burst out immediately after the birth. Acting was in his genes.

Towards the end of the speech, Skavlan concludes:

– When he stood there in front of the pearly gate, I’m sure that St. Peter exclaimed: “Good God, it’s Toralv Maurstad!”

Then followed poetry and a speech by veteran actress Lise Fjeldstad.

Per Christian Revholt and actor Per Tindberg also spoke. Tindberg was the last to play theater with Maurstad.

The celebrities remember Toralv Maurstad

Actor Ivar Nørve explained to VG on his way into the church that he has many good memories to look back on.

He brought up Christmas Eve three years ago, which he celebrated together with Maurstad.

– It was very nice, he said and added that he remembers it with great pleasure.

Actress Mari Maurstad – Toralv’s sister – describes her brother as a lively person and very temperamental. She said on the way into the cathedral that “this day is in many ways a celebration of life”.

– It is a very special day.

Other guests, including Fredrik Skavlan, went straight into the church without speaking to the press.

VG’s reporter at Oslo Cathedral says that there is a lot of security in the area and that there are a dozen armed police officers present.

King Harald and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre are on the guest list during the funeral ceremony.

For actor Per Christian Ellefsen, known from, among other things, the film Elling, there is one thing in particular that he will remember well:

– He was so direct and so honest. I really appreciated that, he told VG on the way in.

Ellefsen meant that Toralv could say straight out that “I have no use for you” in a project, while others softened the refusal by saying that “they got in touch”.

– It is so liberatingly wonderful, and Toralv’s honesty is something that people need.

Oslo’s mayor Marianne Borgen (SV) said that Maurstad has meant a great deal to cultural life in the capital:

– He has left his clear footprints in this city.

Below you can see glimpses of Toralf Maurstad’s career:

Burial at state expense is an award granted by the government. Only about 100 people have been buried at the state’s expense since the scheme was introduced in 1881.

More like the funeral ceremony itself, you can read here.