Past "Generalmusikdirektoren" (GMD, general music directors) have included Bruno Walter, Kurt Adler, Ferenc Fricsay, Lorin Maazel, Gerd Albrecht, Jesús López-Cobos, Giuseppe Sinopoli, and Christian Thielemann. In April 2001, Sinopoli died at the podium while conducting "Aida", at age 54. In October 2005, Renato Palumbo was appointed GMD as of the 2006-2007 season. In October 2007, the Deutsche Oper announced the appointment of Donald Runnicles as their next "Generalmusikdirektor", effective August 2009, for an initial contract of five years. Simultaneously, Palumbo and the Deutsche Oper mutually agreed to terminate his contract, effective November 2007. In November 2020, the company announced the most recent extension of Runnicles' contract as its GMD, through 2027.