Anthony Hopkins to release debut musical album in August

Actor Anthony Hopkins is set to release his debut musical album, ‘Life Is a Dream’, on August 21 via Decca Records. The collection features 12 original compositions that Hopkins has developed over the course of six decades.

Recorded this past April at London’s Alexandra Palace, the album features the Philharmonia Orchestra under the direction of conductor Gustavo Dudamel. The works are inspired by Hopkins’ personal history, including his childhood in Wales, his family, and various life stages. Notable tracks include ‘1947: Suite for Solo Piano and Orchestra: II. Bracken Road’, which draws on his Welsh upbringing, and ‘Stella Aria’, dedicated to his wife, Stella Hopkins.

While widely recognized for his acting career, Hopkins has described music as his ‘first love’ and a primary vocation. He began playing piano at age four and wrote his first composition, a waltz, in 1960. The album title is shared with the play by Spanish dramatist Pedro Calderón de la Barca.