Oscar-Winning Actor Sir Anthony Hopkins Announces Debut Classical Album ‘Life Is a Dream’

July 10 () — Oscar-winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins, best known for films including “The Silence of the Lambs” and “The Father,” is set to release his debut classical album after signing a record deal with Decca Classics.

The album, titled “Life Is a Dream,” will be released on August 21. It features 12 original compositions written by Hopkins over more than six decades.

The music is conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Hopkins, 88, has played the piano since the age of four and began composing music as a teenager. He said music was his “first desire” and that he has continued writing throughout his life.

The album’s lead single, “Bracken Road,” was released on July 10. The piece is inspired by Hopkins’ childhood memories of Margam, South Wales, where he grew up.

He first conceived the composition in 1963 while working as a young actor at the Liverpool Playhouse.

Other tracks on the album draw inspiration from traditional Welsh melodies, cinema, family, and personal memories.

The recording also features pianist Sergio Tiempo, cellist Gregorio Nieto, The Bach Choir, and the Boy Choristers of Winchester Cathedral. It was recorded at Alexandra Palace in London in April 2026.

His music has also earned recognition, including the 2012 Classic BRIT Award for Album of the Year for “And the Waltz Goes On.”