"Actuaciones históricas" is not just another compilation of songs. It is a veritable collection of samples for getting to know the pure 'cante jondo' (lit. 'deep singing', an expression used to refer to flamenco). They are fourteen songs (soleás, bulerías, cantiñas, seguirillas and forge songs), recorded live by Radio Nacional de España (RNE, the Spanish public radio broadcasting company) between the years 1970 and 1981, in which the voice of one of the most important twentieth-century cantaores (flamenco singers) can be heard.

Antonio Mairena is featured with guitar accompaniment by the masters Enrique de Melchor, Melchor de Marchena and Pedro Peña.