SHANGHAI, March 27 (Xinhua) -- A concert was held in Shanghai on Friday to celebrate the 250th birth anniversary of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

Renowned pianist Lang Lang, conductor Tang Muhai and musicians from the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra performed some of Beethoven's classic works including the Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor.

With the COVID-19 pandemic contained in Shanghai, Friday's concert received hundreds of audiences, in marked contrast to the many Beethoven-themed concerts worldwide which were either moved online or canceled due to risks of infection.

"In such challenging times, music is indeed a blessing," Israel Saraiva, Consul General of Portugal in Shanghai, said after the concert, expressing hopes that people around the world can draw inspiration and strength from Beethoven's works.

"I hope that with determination and resilience, 2021 is the year we overcome the pandemic and its challenges and move forward to brighter days," Saraiva said. Enditem