How does the Chinese opera differ from the performance Gallimard saw at the ambassador's house?

The difference Gallimard saw between the two performances derived mostly from the audience. The audience at the ambassador's house was made up of upper class diplomats, while the audience at the Beijing opera was made up of unruly lower class citizens. Gallimard watched the performance from a room with a dirt floor full of chickens. This offset the finery of the ambassador's house.