At 88, Anthony Hopkins finally fulfils his first love – music

Anthony Hopkins has signed his first record deal at 88, bringing together compositions inspired by his childhood in Wales and memories spanning six decades. (Wikipedia pic)

LONDON: Before he became one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, Anthony Hopkins had another dream.

The “Silence of the Lambs” star has signed with Decca Classics and will release his debut album, “Life Is A Dream”, on Aug 21, featuring compositions he has written over the past six decades.

The two-time Oscar winner says music has always been his “first desire”, a passion that has finally led to a record deal at age 88.

The album’s first single, “Bracken Road”, from “1947: Suite For Solo Piano And Orchestra”, is set for release today.

“Music was my first desire, my first wish. I’ve been composing music all my life,” Hopkins said.

“Some of these pieces have lived with me for decades and I still find myself returning to them.

“My whole life is a dream. Signing with Decca is the honour of a lifetime.”

The album was recorded with Grammy Award-winning conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the Philharmonia Orchestra, cellist Gregorio Nieto and pianist Sergio Tiempo.

Hopkins added that working with Dudamel has been a privilege.

“With the graceful precision of his baton, he transformed each note with profound and indelible meaning, creating a pictorial landscape that invites the listener to feel and imagine something uniquely personal.”

Born in Port Talbot, Wales, Hopkins began playing the piano at age four and has been composing since childhood.

“Bracken Road” draws on memories of his childhood in Margam, inspired by the streets, fields and mountains surrounding his family home.

Although he composed the piece in 1963 while a young actor at Liverpool Playhouse, it is only now receiving a commercial release.

Another track, “My Fatherland”, pays tribute to his Welsh roots. “I wrote it to honour my humble beginnings,” Hopkins said.

“I am the son of my father, the baker.”

Other pieces revisit memories of Port Talbot, childhood outings with his grandfather, and the cinema that first sparked his imagination.

Hopkins won his first Academy Award in 1992 for his chilling portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs”, before earning a second Oscar in 2021 for “The Father”.