Sergei Diaghilev, the impresario who had led Ballets Russes to distinguished success, died suddenly in 1929, hence ending Prokofiev's collaboration with the troupe.
Spessivsteva had had a series of successes with Lifar at the Paris Opera Ballet (Promethee, Giselle) and had unrequited feelings for him.
In his book The Three Graces: Anna Pavlova, Tamara Karsavina, Olga Spessivtseva (1959) Lifar describes how their personal situation came to a head during rehearsals.
The crisis came when, at one of the rehearsals, Spessivtseva suddenly realized that it was with Natasha ... that in pursuance of the plot, I was to find happiness, whereas the leading, and, from the choreographic point of view, the most important role had been allotted to her, Olga!
Just as I had announced at rehearsal, that this was where my pas de deux tendre with Natasha would begin, Spessivtseva all of a sudden made a dash for the window.
She fought, bit and scratched in an effort to break free ... Next day she did not turn up at rehearsal, but sent word to me that she had left the Opera forever."
Sergei, a Red Army soldier in the First World War returns to his village on the Dnieper and finds he is no-longer in love with Natasha his betrothed.
In his version, Sergei returns his village to discover that he no longer loves his sweetheart, Natalia, but is instead attracted to Olga, who is to wed another man.
"Grief-stricken yet noble, Natalia unselfishly helps the young lovers, Sergei and Olga, to escape together to a life of happiness."