Sir Anthony Hopkins has released an album of original classical compositions, "Life Is a Dream," out on Decca, marking the fullest public showcase yet of the musical career he has quietly pursued alongside acting. The 88-year-old, twice an Academy Award winner, has long described music as his first love, and the record was made with acclaimed conductor Gustavo Dudamel leading the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, lending serious classical credibility to the actor's compositions.

The album contains 12 pieces largely reflecting on Hopkins's life, including "Margam," named after his Welsh hometown, and "Farewell My Love," dedicated to his wife of 23 years, Stella. Hopkins has said the record acts as a musical companion to his 2025 memoir "We Did OK, Kid," with themes shaped by mortality and by memories of his father, a baker who struggled during the post-war years. He began learning piano aged seven on an upright his mother bought for £4 and 10 pence, and describes composing as driven by "the sheer joy of being alive" despite having no formal technical training.