Acting legend Anthony Hopkins is expanding his artistic endeavors with the upcoming release of a classical music album. At 88 years old, Hopkins has signed a record contract with Decca Classics and is set to launch "Life is a Dream" on August 21, 2026.
The album will feature compositions written by Hopkins throughout his life, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra and conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. The project includes "Bracken Road," a piece inspired by his childhood memories in South Wales, which will be the first single released from the album.
Hopkins, who has over 150 acting credits and two Academy Awards, has a lifelong connection to music. He began playing the piano at age 4 and reportedly started performing works by Beethoven and Chopin just a few years later. Music was his "first desire," Hopkins stated, adding that he has been composing music "all my life."
"Some of these pieces have lived with me for decades, and I still find myself returning to them," Hopkins said in a statement. "My whole life is a dream. Signing with Decca is the honour of a lifetime. It has been a true privilege to collaborate with the distinguished Philharmonia Orchestra and the virtuoso soloists, cellist Gregorio Nieto and classical pianist Sergio Tiempo."
He expressed deep gratitude to Dudamel, noting his artistry transformed each note with "profound and indelible meaning, creating a pictorial landscape that invites the listener to feel and imagine something uniquely personal."
The record label described the album as revealing a composer whose music shares the same "emotional depth and storytelling that define his screen career."
This is not Hopkins' first foray into composing. He previously released an album titled "Composer" in 2012 and has contributed music to several film and television projects, including "Elyse" (2020), "Slipstream" (2007), and "August" (1996). His first single, "Distant Star," charted in the UK in 1986. Hopkins' mother had also wished for him to become a concert pianist.
The album "Life is a Dream" was recorded in April 2026 at Alexandra Palace in London.