Sir Anthony Hopkins has signed to Decca Classics as a composer and announced new album Life Is A Dream. The album will be released on 21 August 2026 and features original compositions written across more than six decades. Performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra under Grammy-winning conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the record marks a major new chapter in Hopkins’ lifelong relationship with music.
Hopkins, 88, began playing piano at four and has written music since childhood. “Music was my first desire, my first wish,” he said, adding that some pieces on the album have lived with him for decades.
The first single, “Bracken Road,” is out now. Taken from Hopkins’ 1947: Suite For Solo Piano And Orchestra, the piece is inspired by his childhood memories of Margam in South Wales, including the streets, meadows and mountains that surrounded his family home in the 1940s. Hopkins composed the music in 1963, when he was a young actor at the Liverpool Playhouse. Other compositions including “My Fatherland,” are also inspired by traditional Welsh melodies. The album features cellist Gregorio Nieto and classical pianist Sergio Tiempo alongside the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Hopkins described signing with Decca Classics as the honour of a lifetime and praised Dudamel’s role in shaping the recording. Dudamel, in turn, said Hopkins’ music carries the same imagination, humanity and emotional truth that has defined his work on stage and screen.
Laura Monks, president of Decca, said it was a privilege to welcome Hopkins to Decca Classics, describing his depth of talent and classical music knowledge as something the label was delighted to celebrate.
Although Hopkins is best known for his screen work, including his Academy Award-winning performances in The Silence Of The Lambs and The Father, music has long been part of his creative life. With Life Is A Dream, that side of his work is now being given a full orchestral spotlight.
For CultureCues, this is a lovely announcement. It is clear Life Is A Dream is a real passion project for Hopkins, shaped by a lifetime of composing and personal memories. We are very interested to hear the full album, and it feels like a beautiful reminder that it is never too late to follow another creative dream.
Life Is A Dream will be released on 21 August 2026. “Bracken Road” is out now.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.