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An early Christmas treat is coming to the Royal Albert Hall, with a screening of the recent Disney Beauty & The Beast complete with live orchestral accompaniment.

The live-action musical, starring Emma Watson as Belle and Dan Stevens as the beastly Prince, will be screened in full and with the stars’ memorable vocals intact, as the entire musical score is performed live by on stage by the Philharmonia Orchestra on Saturday December 9 at 2 and 6.30 pm.

Lucy Noble, Artistic Director at the Royal Albert Hall, said: “The Films in Concert series has become a genuine phenomenon: a chance for audiences to experience a movie in a whole new way. Beauty and the Beast is an instant classic with everything we look for when staging these events: an enthusiastic following, a great story on a large scale, and a simply unforgettable score.

“We’re so honoured to host the European premiere of the film as a live concert experience, bringing Alan Menken’s remarkable music to centre stage, where it truly belongs.”

Beauty and the Beast, released in March, is a live-action musical extravaganza based on Disney’s 1991 animated classic. Directed by Bill Condon, it stars Watson, Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson.

It tells the story of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman taken prisoner by a Beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realise the kind heart of the true Prince within.

Alan Menken – who won two Oscars (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the animated film – wrote the score, which included new recordings of the original songs he wrote with lyricist Howard Ashman, as well as three new songs created alongside Tim Rice.

It is one of the most successful films ever made, having grossed $1.2bn in just three months, following acclaim from the likes of Empire, the Telegraph, Rolling Stone and the New Yorker.

Tickets for December’s stunning cinematic event at the Royal Albert Hall go on sale at 10am on Friday, priced £30-60, from www.royalalberthall.com.