OperaWire is proud to present “The Wonderful World of Opera Dogs,” a series by Diana Burgwyn, which will focus on the relationship between opera’s most iconic stars and their beloved canines. The creation of this series and all research necessary for each individual piece were conducted solely by Diana. To learn more about the origins of the project, click here. The dog Blach had a privileged life. He feasted on macaroons, slept anywhere he wanted in the big villa, was provided the biggest bones, and had his own secretaries, male and female. We know this because Blach (also known as Black), a tall, lean, and powerful hunting dog, described his privileged life in a letter that he wrote to his canine friend Ron-Ron. In the letter, he mentioned one of the secretaries, who served as his major-domo secretary factotum. That individual had the strange habit, wrote Blach, of scribbling little hooks on paper.