As founder of the Armenian opera, Dikran Tchouhadjian (1837-1898) was an important figure in the cultural history of the Ottoman Empire. He was the first Armenian composer to bridge the gap between the musical arts of the East and West.

A very gifted composer, an extremely talented pianist, spirited conductor, devoted teacher and energetic organizer, Tchouhadjian is considered the father of the Armenian operatic genre, whose creative works are stamped with vivid individuality. His music is filled with sprightly, catchy tunes, easy on the ears, and appealing to the artistic taste of a wide audience. Zemire is his final large-scale work. Like his other operettas, the work manifests Tchouhadjian's extraordinary skill as a composer and unique musical craftsmanship. His music fuses Eastern sonorities into the Western musical idiom he employs.