Anthony Hopkins to Release Debut Classical Album After Six Decades of Composition

At 88, acclaimed actor Anthony Hopkins is set to release his debut classical album, Life Is a Dream, through Decca Classics on August 21. The collection, composed over six decades, features performances by Gustavo Dudamel and the Philharmonia Orchestra.

The first single, “Bracken Road,” draws inspiration from Hopkins’ childhood memories of Margam in South Wales, particularly the landscapes of the 1940s. Additional tracks include “My Fatherland,” rooted in traditional Welsh melodies, and pieces influenced by cinema, his wife, and his niece.

Hopkins, known for his roles in The Silence of the Lambs and The Father, describes music as his “first desire, my first wish… I’ve been composing music all my life. Some of these pieces have lived with me for decades.” He emphasized that signing with Decca represents “the honor of a lifetime.”

A self-taught pianist since age four, Hopkins began performing Beethoven and Chopin as a child and composed music for local plays during his teenage years. He previously won a Classic Brit Award in 2012 for his waltz composition in And the Waltz Goes On. The album also includes collaborations with cellist Gregorio Nieto and pianist Sergio Tiempo.

Gustavo Dudamel praised Hopkins as a “rare artist,” noting that his “creative voice transcends any single medium.” He added that the compositions reflect “the heart of a storyteller and the instincts of a poet,” creating “sound worlds that are both deeply personal and universally resonant.”

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