Hi, it's Nicola Cochlin. Young people have been making history for years, but we don't often hear about them. My brand new series on BBC Sounds sets out to put this right. In history's youngest heroes, I'll be revealing the fascinating stories of 12 young people who've played a major role in history and who've helped shape our world. Like Audrey Hepburn, Nelson Mandela, Louis Braille and Lady Jane Grey,

history's youngest heroes with me, Nicola Cochlin.

Listen on BBC Sounds.

Hello, I'm Krista Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs Archive.

For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 2009.

Music My castaway this week is the singer Roberto Alanya.

He is one of the most celebrated tenors in the world.

He is never in greater demand, and he says never happier,

than when he's singing alongside his wife, the soprano, Angela Giorgio. They are opera's it couple, blessed with dazzling talent, beauty and huge success. Yet his

is not a voice that was honed through early years in a conservatoire. He was brought up in Paris,

part of a large, poor immigrant family.

He learned to love music in sing-alongs at home.

His career started when he was discovered singing in nightclubs.

Roberto Alanya, I want to talk first of all about your operatic debut.

It was in Britain around about 20 years ago.

You were part of the Kleinborn touring production.

Now, you were around about 25 years old.

One would think that... I was 24 in that moment, but turning to 25 years.

I want to ask you about your preparation for that great night

because you would think maybe spending some time alone,

possibly in your hotel room.

...