Late British music legend, David Bowie, was developing an “18th century” themed musical titled The Spectator at the time of his passing, according to a BBC report.
The project, previously unknown to the public, will be among the highlights at a new centre dedicated to Bowie’s archive, opening at the V&A Museum in Stratford, east London, on September 13.
Described in Bowie’s notes as an “18th Century musical,” The Spectator reflected his deep interest in art, satire, and the gritty underworld of 18th century London.
The work drew creative inspiration from real-life figures, including the infamous criminal “Honest” Jack Sheppard.
According to materials shared with the BBC, post-it notes relating to the musical lined the walls of a locked room in Bowie’s New York office, remaining undiscovered until his possessions were later archived.
These materials will now be on public display for the first time at the newly established David Bowie Centre. The facility will not only showcase Bowie’s personal and creative belongings but also feature guest-curated exhibitions. Among the guest curators is disco icon and producer Nile Rodgers, known for collaborating with Bowie on the 1983 Let’s Dance album.
Rodgers’ contributions to the exhibit include a suit from the “Serious Moonlight” tour, designed by opera costume designer Peter Hall. He also selected rare photographs and personal letters, illustrating what he described as their mutual “love of the music that had both made and saved our lives.”
Brit Award-winning band The Last Dinner Party will also participate in curating part of the collection, focusing on artifacts from the 1970s that reflect Bowie’s influence on encouraging artists to “stand up for themselves and their music.”
The Bowie Centre will house over 90,000 items from across the artist’s career. Visitors will have access to 414 costumes and accessories, nearly 150 musical instruments, handwritten notes, diaries, lyrics, and unreleased or incomplete works.
“In the centre, we want you to get closer to Bowie, and his creative process than ever before,” said Madeleine Haddon, the collection’s lead curator.
“For Bowie fans and those coming to him for the first time, we hope the centre can inspire the next generation of creatives,” she added.
David Bowie’s career, which began with the 1969 hit Space Oddity, spanned over four decades and produced iconic songs such as The Jean Genie, Heroes, Let’s Dance, Modern Love, and 2013’s introspective Where Are We Now? These tracks helped shape musical eras and cemented Bowie’s legacy as a transformative figure in global pop culture.
Bowie passed away from liver cancer in January 2016, just two days after releasing his final album Blackstar, which coincided with his 69th birthday.
