Anthony Hopkins releases first composition after decades of composing

Legendary actor Anthony Hopkins has taken a new step in his artistic career. At the age of 88, he presented the first song he composed himself and announced his debut album of classical music.

The "Silence of the Lambs" star has released the song "Bracken Road" ahead of the release of his album "Life Is a Dream," which will be released on August 21. The album will showcase Hopkins' long-standing compositional work that has been in the making throughout his life.

The composition "Bracken Road", part of the work "1947: Suite for Solo Piano and Orchestra", was inspired by his childhood in Margam, South Wales, where he was born.

Hopkins, who started playing the piano at just four years old, said that music has always been his greatest passion.

"Music was my first desire, my first aspiration. I've been composing music my whole life. Some of these compositions have lived with me for decades and I keep coming back to them. My whole life is a dream," Hopkins said.

For the upcoming album, the actor has signed a contract with the Decca Classics label, and the project features the Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, as well as soloists - cellist Gregorio Nieto and pianist Sergio Tiempo.

"Signing a contract with Decca Classics is the honor of a lifetime. It was a true privilege to collaborate with the distinguished Philharmonic Orchestra and virtuoso soloists," Hopkins emphasized.

He expressed special gratitude to Dudamel, whose contribution, he emphasized, was crucial to the realization of the project.

"With his graceful precision of the conductor's baton, he transformed every note into something profound and unforgettable, creating a musical landscape that invites the listener to feel and imagine something entirely personal," said Hopkins.

Dudamel pointed out that Hopkins' creativity transcends the boundaries of a single art form.

"Sir Anthony Hopkins is one of the few artists whose creative voice transcends just one art form. The same depth of imagination, humanity and emotional truth that has characterized his work on stage and film is present in his music," said the conductor.

According to him, Hopkins approaches music with "the heart of a storyteller and the instinct of a poet," creating compositions that are both personal and universal.

Decca Classics described "Bracken Road" as a nostalgic musical portrait of the place where Hopkins grew up.

"Inspired by childhood memories in Margam, South Wales, the composition is a musical depiction of the streets, meadows, farms and mountains that surrounded his family home during the 1940s," the record company said.

Hopkins has won numerous acting awards throughout his career, including an Oscar for his role in "The Father," but music was an important part of his life long before his film fame. Now, after decades of composing in private, he will present his musical creations to a wider audience for the first time.