Live Review: Femina (Sydney Festival)

The Sydney Festival Spiegeltent is almost at capacity when Argentina's Femina take to the stage. The gathered crowds span from curious arts patrons to expatriate Argentineans to outsider music fans - and the performance the trio deliver ultimately showcases why such a diverse range of audiences would award them patronage.

Beginning with a cappella three-part vocal harmonies and climaxing with singer and guitarist Clara Miglioli unleashing a guttural roar of primal anguish into the smiling crowd, Femina's set is a thing of warmth, passion, expression and intellect; as richly communal as it is strangely intimate. Each song is prefaced with friendly explanations of culture and inspiration. There are affirmations of family (the trio comprised of sisters Clara and Sofia Trucco, along with 'soul sister' Miglioli) and explanations of Argentinean musical traditions like cumbia and boleros. But, there are also impassioned, transformative renditions of songs about the oppression of womanhood or loss of self.

Which is not to say that the trio's music in any way depressive. Entirely acoustic, the three musicians cleverly juggle roles as vocalists, percussionists and instrumentalists to create a textured, lively sound. But, they also embrace the emotional tenor of each song beyond most musicians. A love song swoons and aches. A song of pain reduces a member of the ensemble almost to tears; face etched with anxiety as she clutches her instrument in a moment of tense silence. "That song is always powerful," says Miglioli, after one number. "Even if you start really chill, you don't stay that way… It's like we're possessed." Even with a glint of humour and self-deprecation to her delivery, it's not hard to hear the lived experience behind her words.

Of course, some of today's crowd likely engaged with no such intensity. With such diverse appeal and audiences, Femina's performance was likely many things to many people. A beautiful diversion for some, an intriguing experiment for others - a connection to home for another sector of the crowd. But, regardless of how deep one waded into the trio's set, few would be capable of denying that something special visited Sydney in Femina. One hopes they'll come again soon.