Italian premier writing love songs again

ROME – Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has returned to an old passion of his while recovering from last month’s attack at a rally: writing Neapolitan love songs, news reports said.

Berlusconi also made his first public appearance since the Dec. 13 attack, going to a shopping mall close to his villa in Milan, Corriere della Sera and other Italian newspapers said Friday.

During the attack, a mentally unstable man threw a souvenir statuette of Milan’s cathedral at Berlusconi’s face, breaking his nose and two of his teeth. The 73-year-old leader was hospitalized for a few days and had remained away from the public.

La Stampa and other newspapers said Thursday that Berlusconi is working on a new CD of love songs with Neapolitan composer Mariano Apicella.

Berlusconi often has said he likes to stay up at night to compose Neapolitan love songs. As a young man – before he became a media mogul and, later, a politician – Berlusconi used to sing on a cruise ship.