Veteran actor Anthony Hopkins, 88, is embarking on a new career path as a classical music composer after a 65-year acting career. His debut album, titled "Life is a Dream," is scheduled for release on August 21 through record label Decca Classics.
Hopkins stated that music was his "first desire, my first wish" and that he has been composing for decades. "Some of these pieces have lived with me for decades, and I still find myself returning to them," he said in a statement.
The album features compositions inspired by Hopkins' family, his Welsh heritage, and his life experiences. These works were performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra and conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. The first single from the album, "Bracken Road," from the "1947: Suite for Solo Piano and Orchestra," was released on Friday.
Decca Classics described "Life is a Dream" as the "Thor" actor's "most personal musical project to date," noting that it reveals a composer whose music shares the same emotional depth and storytelling found in his screen performances. The label also characterized the album as an "intimate musical memoir shaped by loved-ones, imagination, and heritage."
Throughout his extensive acting career, Hopkins has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, four BAFTAs, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Cecil B. DeMille Award. He has previously expressed a critical view of the awards process in Hollywood, calling the flattery involved "disgusting."