Sir Anthony Hopkins, the famous 88-year-old actor, has released his first classical music single. Hopkins, who won Oscars for his roles in The Silence of the Lambs and The Father, has signed a record deal with Decca Classics. He described the contract as the "honour of a lifetime."
His first single, "Bracken Road," was released on Friday. The song is inspired by his childhood memories of Margam in south Wales, where he grew up in the 1940s. Hopkins originally composed the piece in 1963 when he was a young actor working in Liverpool.
His debut album, Life Is a Dream, will be released next month on August 21. The album contains music that Hopkins has written over the last 60 years. Hopkins started playing the piano at the age of four and has composed music since he was a child. "Music was my first desire, my first wish," he said.
The music on the album is performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by the Grammy-winning maestro Gustavo Dudamel. It also features cellist Gregorio Nieto and pianist Sergio Tiempo. Hopkins expressed great gratitude to the orchestra and Dudamel for bringing his music to life.
Another track on the album, "My Fatherland," is a tribute to Wales and his father, who was a baker. Other songs are inspired by his hometown of Port Talbot, visits to his grandfather, and his early memories of going to the cinema.