Sir Anthony Hopkins, the 88-year-old actor, is set to release his debut album, “Life Is a Dream,” a collection of 12 compositions he wrote over six decades. He stated that music is his first love, or vocation, having been raised with significant musical influence in the postwar years. Hopkins began playing piano at age 4, composing his first piece, a waltz, in 1960 when he was 22.
Decca Records will release the album on August 21. The Philharmonia Orchestra performed the compositions, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, with recording sessions held at London’s Alexandra Palace in April. Hopkins admitted to experiencing self-doubt during the creative process, sometimes questioning his authorship, which he described as “Impostor syndrome.” He finds music offers more freedom than acting, which he considers a “discipline” requiring extensive knowledge.
A Lifetime of Composition
Before “Life Is a Dream,” Hopkins had already composed scores for several films. He cited the opening of the 1993 film “Shadowlands,” in which he starred as C.S. Lewis, as his initial venture into film composition. He later served as the principal composer for other movies he also directed and starred in, including “August” from 1996 and “Slipstream” from 2007. The article also references his work on 2020’s “Elyse.”
The album, Hopkins explained, reflects his childhood and life experiences in Wales. “It’s about my childhood,” he shared, detailing how it captures memories of growing up in Wales and his adolescent developments. He noted a profound sadness underlying the work, despite having lived a “wonderful life,” stating, “life is one long goodbye.”
Themes of Nostalgia and Yearning
The first single, “1947: Suite for Solo Piano and Orchestra: ll. Bracken Road,” forms the middle part of a three-part suite focusing on a particular summer in South Wales. Hopkins described the piece as containing “melancholy and sadness,” calling it “the welcomed sound of nostalgia, of the strange, whimsical pain of life.” He believes all music is fundamentally rooted in pain and yearning. Another track, “Stella Aria,” named for his wife, director and actor Stella Hopkins, explores “the loneliness in all of us” while also pointing towards “sheer happiness.”
Hopkins has been reflecting on his life in his memoir, “We Did OK, Kid,” released last fall, and through this album. Approaching his 89th birthday at the end of the year, he reflected on his decision to become an actor 70 years ago, admitting he “couldn’t have planned any of this.” He feels grateful for his long life and is “without fear of mortality.”
Bradley Cooper facilitated the connection between Hopkins and Dudamel after seeing Hopkins’ composition performed by the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Seal, a few years prior. Hopkins recalled Dudamel’s enthusiasm and described him as “one of the most astonishing people I’ve met.” Dudamel, in a statement, praised Hopkins’ music, noting that “The same depth of imagination, humanity and emotional truth that has defined his extraordinary work on stage and screen is present in his music.” He added that Hopkins approaches music “with the heart of a storyteller and the instincts of a poet.” Hopkins hopes for live performances next, with Carnegie Hall topping his list, recalling his mother’s wish for him to play there one day.