The "unexpected close" referred to the announcement in June 1858 in Chicago that Thalberg would make only one of three scheduled appearances before immediately returning to Europe. In fact, Thalberg did not even perform at that concert, but very hastily left. His wife had arrived from Europe, following reports that Thalberg had an extra-marital liaison. This caused further confusion when the opera singer Zare Thalberg debuted at Covent Garden in 1875. She had been one of his students but she was misidentified as his daughter.