A 17th-century Italian figure from Palermo, Giulia Tofana has been described as a poison seller and apothecary operating in Sicily, Naples, and Rome. She is linked to the legend of the lethal poison Aqua Tofana.

Details of Tofana’s life, including how much of her supposed half-century of homicidal handiwork is actually true, are contested. In Hayes' Principles and Methods of Toxicology, a reference book on the subject of poison, Tofana is called “the most notorious poisoner of seventeenth century Italy.”

Aqua Tofana has been described as a clear, tasteless liquid designed to be deadly and hard to trace. It contained arsenic, lead, and possibly belladonna, and it could be mixed with water and wine and served to thirsty victims who wouldn’t know what hit them.

“Some records suggest [Tofana’s] mother invented it and passed the recipe to her,” Hayes' Principles and Methods of Toxicology reads.

Tofana’s clients were mainly women, especially those trapped in unhappy or abusive marriages at a time when there were few safe options for them to leave. Tofana’s poison was sold as a beauty product or medicinal item so it could be obtained discreetly.

As Hayes’s account notes, the deception was very clever since the active ingredient in the toxin was arsenic, which could be used to treat skin disorders. Aqua Tofana came in vials labeled with images of Saint Nicholas of Bari, a fourth-century Christian bishop known for his generosity, compassion, and care for people in need.

In her own way, Tofana cared for people who needed help, and the musical explores the grey area between the "right" and "wrong" of her choices. What does it mean to do the wrong thing for the right reasons, and who decides which is which?

Tofana’s widow-making enterprise went on for over 50 years, during which her own daughter even helped her. It is estimated that during an 18-year stretch beginning in 1633, Tofana played a hand in some 600 deaths. That number has been questioned.

Similarly, accounts of Tofana’s death diverge. While some say that she died in Rome in 1651 with her poisoning past undisclosed, others note that she was prosecuted for ties to a larger poison network and executed in 1659. While the jury is out on the details, there’s no doubt the ingredients for a gripping musical are all on tap.

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Photo credit: Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo off Broadway. (Photos by Andy Henderson)