If you knew the recipe for an undetectable poison, would you use it? What about giving it to women with abusive husbands? Giulia Tofana’s legendary poison Aqua Tofana (brilliantly disguised as holy ointment) was famed and feared in 17th-century Rome. But just how many terrible husbands can drop dead, before the Pope gets suspicious?
In this year’s Halloween Special, our guests are Gaia Aloisi and Ted Blackburn, the creators of Aqua Tofana, a new electronic opera about the life of Giulia Tofana.
Find out more about Aqua Tofana the opera (and watch the Act 1 Preview) HERE, or connect with the Aqua Tofana team on Instagram.
You may also enjoy reading Mike Dash’s history of Aqua Tofana – a lively summary of the Magical Underworld of Rome, though lacking the primary sources of the trial.
Born in Cagliari, Sardinia, Gaia Aloisi started her musical career as a singer, obtaining her bachelor’s degree from the Haute École de Musique in Geneva and subsequently a master’s degree in Contemporary Voice Performance from the Conserv atorio della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano. She then turned her attention to composition, studying under Alessandro Solbiati at the Conservatorio “G. Verdi” in Milan and then under Ivan Fedele at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. Her music blends traditional elements from her native Sardinia with cutting edge modernity. Aqua Tofana is her debut opera, a haunting blend of ancient soundscapes and unsettling electronic music.
Ted Blackburn started his career as a dancer moving to Russia aged 15 to attend Perm State Choreographic College and then graduating in 2018 in classical and contemporary ballet from the Accademia Teatro Alla Scala in Milan. Whilst a dancer Ted performed in many ballets and operas both in Italy and the UK, performing alongside greats such as Roberto Bolle, Svetlana Zakharova and Placido Domingo. After leaving dance he continued to study in Milan, completing the academy’s Master in Performing Arts Management programme where he could further explore his passion for the future of the classical performing arts. Now a stagehand at the ROH, Ted works on full scale productions of both opera and ballet as well as developing his understanding of production and direction.
Music featured in this episode included
Selections from Aqua Tofana, by Gaia Aloisi and Ted Blackburn
“Halloween Midnight” by Roman Cano
“Ghost Story” and “Ghost Processional” by Kevin MacLeod
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