In a vast castle of grandeur set in the heart of France, a handsome yet cruel and selfish prince is holding a ball to which the loveliest of women in all of the land were invited. They are all dancing away in the hope of winning the prince’s love and admiration as Madame de Garderobe sings. 
The ball is interrupted when an old beggar woman arrives at the castle in the hope of seeking shelter from the raging thunderstorm. All that she had to offer the prince was a rose. Repelled by her appearance and infuriated due to the sudden interruption, the prince mocks her and declines the rose. 
The woman then transforms herself into a beautiful enchantress, astonishing the prince and scaring away all of his guests. The prince begs the enchantress for forgiveness, but having seen that there is no love in his heart, she transforms him into a terrifying beast and his servants into household objects, before erasing himself, the castle, and the servants from the memories of the villagers, as well as the memories of their loved ones.
