LONDON — The Eurovision Song Contest — Europe’s longest-running, most popular and perhaps its campiest talent competition — has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Over the past few weeks we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead,” the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the event, said in a statement on Twitter on Wednesday. But no solution worked, it added: “It is impossible to continue with the live event as planned.”

The final of this year’s contest, which would have involved acts from 41 countries, was scheduled to be held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on May 16. The country, like much of Europe, is on lockdown in an effort to curtail the virus.

This year will be the first time the competition — known for its over-the-top acts — has not taken place since it started in 1956, said Chris West, the author of a book on the history of Eurovision.