Sir Anthony Hopkins to release debut classical music album

Veteran actor Sir Anthony Hopkins is set to release his debut classical music album, titled 'Music from 1947: Suite for Solo Piano and Orchestra,' fulfilling a lifelong dream.

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

The album's lead single, 'Bracken Road,' is drawn from the suite composed by Hopkins in 1963 during his time as a young actor at the Liverpool Playhouse. The music is deeply influenced by the landscapes of his childhood in Wales, evoking the streets, meadows, farmland, and mountains surrounding his family home in the 1940s.

"Some of these pieces have lived with me for decades and I still find myself returning to them," Sir Anthony shared. He described signing with the Decca Classics record label as "the honour of a lifetime," calling the experience "a dream."

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My whole life is a dream

The album features the Philharmonia Orchestra, with Grammy Award-winning conductor Gustavo Dudamel leading the performances. Hopkins expressed profound gratitude to Dudamel, stating his artistry was "an integral part of this musical journey." Decca Classics president Laura Monks described the team's excitement, noting Hopkins' "life-long knowledge" of classical music and witnessing him deliver on his dream.

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My deepest gratitude and respect go to Maestro Gustavo Dudamel, whose artistry is an integral part of this musical journey.

Other compositions on the album, such as 'My Fatherland,' pay tribute to his Welsh roots and "humble beginnings," honoring his father, a baker. The works draw on memories of Port Talbot, childhood visits with his grandfather, and early inspirations like the cinema.

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There has been a complete energy in the office, everyone buzzing with excitement because we are helping him deliver on a life long dream