Anthony Hopkins is not only an Oscar-winning actor but has also been making music for many years along with his acting career.The star of "The Silence of the Lambs" has joined Decca Classics for a new music project that includes over six decades of his original songs.
The album, called "Life Is a Dream," will be released on August 21.
It is being conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and played by the Philharmonia Orchestra.The first song, "Bracken Road," from his "1947: Suite for Solo Piano and Orchestra," was released this week.Decca Classics said the song is inspired by Hopkins' childhood memories of Margam, South Wales, and portrays the streets, fields, farms, and mountains around his family home in the 1940s.
Hopkins, who is 88 years old, has been playing the piano since he was four.
He started playing pieces by Beethoven and Chopin a few years later and created music for local plays when he was a teenager.
Hopkins said, "Music was my first desire, my first wish.
I've been composing music all my life.Some of these pieces have been with me for decades and I still go back to them."
The album includes other works like "My Fatherland," which is based on traditional Welsh music, and songs inspired by movies, his wife, and his niece.
Hopkins, who teaches himself how to compose, won a Classic Brit Award in 2012 for his work on the album "And the Waltz Goes On." He made his first live musical performance in Saudi Arabia in 2025 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra playing his "Life Is a Dream" concert.
Hopkins said, "Signing with Decca is the honor of a lifetime.
It has been a true privilege to work with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the talented soloists, cellist Gregorio Nieto and pianist Sergio Tiempo.I deeply thank and respect Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, whose artistry is a big part of this journey.With his graceful baton, he brought each note to life with deep and lasting meaning, creating a musical picture that invites the listener to feel and imagine something very personal."
Dudamel added, "Sir Anthony Hopkins is one of those rare artists whose creative voice goes beyond any single medium.
The same depth of imagination, humanity, and emotional truth that defines his stage and screen performances is evident in his music.Listening to his composition, I am amazed by its beauty, skill, and the clear sense of wonder it has.Anthony approaches music with the heart of a storyteller and the mind of a poet, creating sound worlds that are deeply personal yet universally touching.It’s been a great honor to work with him on this recording with my friends Gregorio Nieto, Sergio Tiempo, and the Philharmonia Orchestra, and to help bring to life the musical voice of an artist whose creativity has no limits."
Laura Monks, president of Decca, said, "It’s a real honor to have the great Sir Anthony Hopkins join Decca Classics.
His deep talent and knowledge of classical music, developed over a lifetime, is a joy to celebrate with this new album.Hearing his amazing music come to life during the recording sessions in London with Gustavo Dudamel and the Philharmonia Orchestra was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we are excited to share with the world."
