Anthony Hopkins opens up about his lifelong love of music as he releases debut album

Anthony Hopkins is opening up about the passion for music that has accompanied him throughout his life as the Oscar-winning actor releases his debut classical album, Life Is a Dream.

Hopkins, 88, has been composing music for decades, but Life Is a Dream marks his first album released through Decca Records. The 12-track collection features compositions he has written over the course of six decades, drawing on memories of his childhood, family and life growing up in Wales. 

Although Hopkins is best known for his acting career, music was his first creative love. He began playing the piano at the age of 4 and started composing years later, writing his first piece, a waltz, in 1960 when he was 22. He has continued writing music alongside his acting career, including composing for several films.

For Life Is a Dream, Hopkins' compositions were recorded by the Philharmonia Orchestra and conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. The album was recorded at London's Alexandra Palace in April and is due to be released on August 21. 

Bradley Cooper also played an unexpected role in bringing the project together. Hopkins had previously shared his compositions with Cooper, who became impressed by his work and helped connect him with Dudamel. "Bradley passed me on to Dudamel," Hopkins said, crediting the actor with helping make the album possible. 

Hopkins has previously worked with Cooper, who directed and starred in Maestro, a film about legendary composer Leonard Bernstein. The connection ultimately helped Hopkins take his compositions from something he had largely created privately to a full orchestral recording.

Hopkins says composing gives him a different kind of freedom from acting. While he describes acting as a discipline that requires preparation and precision, he considers music a more "freewheeling" art form. 

The album is deeply personal, with Hopkins describing it as a reflection of his childhood, adolescence and memories of growing up in Wales. Pieces such as "Margam" are connected to his Welsh roots, while other compositions draw on significant people and experiences from his life.

The title Life Is a Dream reflects Hopkins' broader view of his journey. Despite the album celebrating his lifelong relationship with music, he has acknowledged that there is also a sense of sadness running through the collection as he reflects on the passage of time.

For Hopkins, the album represents the culmination of a creative passion that existed long before he became one of Hollywood's most acclaimed actors. With Dudamel, the Philharmonia Orchestra and Cooper's unexpected assistance helping bring the project to fruition, Life Is a Dream finally gives audiences the opportunity to hear the music Hopkins has been writing for much of his life.