Anthony Hopkins, an actor renowned for his extensive career and numerous accolades, has a lesser-known but significant passion for music composition. While his acting prowess has been recognized with two Academy Awards, three BAFTAs, and two Emmys, his musical endeavors reveal another facet of his artistic talents.
Starting piano lessons at the tender age of four, Hopkins quickly developed a deep connection with music. By 19, he had composed his first piece, although he initially struggled to transcribe it. As he mentioned in an interview with Gramophone, he took a proactive approach to learning composition.
“I went to the library and I found a score of ‘Scheherazade’ by Rimsky-Korsakov. I figured out how to put a score together and started putting this piece of mine down on paper.”
Hopkins’ foray into music composition has seen him create scores for both films and concert settings. Notably, André Rieu, the renowned violinist and conductor, featured Hopkins’ composition “And the Waltz Goes On” as the title track of his 2011 award-winning album, a piece he still performs frequently. Hopkins also composed music for his directorial ventures, “August” and “Slipstream.”
‘Life is a Dream’
Anthony Hopkins’ latest musical project, titled “Life is a Dream,” draws inspiration from a gala concert he hosted in 2025 in Saudi Arabia. This collection showcases 12 tracks, combining new works and previous compositions, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel. The album also features pianist Sergio Tiempo, cellist Gregorio Nieto, The Bach Choir, and The Boy Choristers of Winchester Cathedral in England.
In the album notes for “Life is a Dream,” Dudamel praised Hopkins as a musician.
“The same depth of imagination, humanity and emotional truth that has defined his extraordinary work on stage and screen is present in his music. Listening to his composition, I am struck by its beauty, craftsmanship and the unmistakable sense of wonder that animates it.”
Highlights
“And the Waltz Goes On” — Track 3
This piece harks back to a melody Hopkins penned in 1963 while at the Liverpool Playhouse. André Rieu later recorded it, incorporating it into his regular concert repertoire.
“My Fatherland” — Track 4
Drawing on six traditional Welsh melodies, Hopkins’ “My Fatherland” reflects the influences of composers like Ralph Vaughan Williams, Frederick Delius, and John Ireland.
“Margam” — Track 5
Named after his childhood home, “Margam” was originally end-credit music for Hopkins’ film “August.” As Hopkins explains, he adapted it for the concert stage, recalling fond memories of his youth.
“I approached George Fenton about composing the score for the film, but he was busy working on two other projects, and he suggested I write the score myself, working at the piano in his studio. Adapting it a decade later as a concert work, I titled it Margam, as an ode to my mother and father, a recollection of my idyllic childhood, memories of gathering bluebells with my grandfather in spring.”
“1947: Suite for Solo Piano and Orchestra” — Tracks 6-8
Reflecting on a memorable summer, Hopkins recalls, “The summer of 1947 was one of the hottest on record in Wales. A harsh, bleak winter, compounded by rationing and austerity, gave way to long, hot evenings in Margam. This piece, for solo piano and orchestra, has its roots in my memories of that summer.”
“Live is a Dream: Music Composed by Anthony Hopkins” is available now from Decca Records and can also be enjoyed on major streaming platforms. Pair it with “a nice Chianti.”
