Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato is one of the most gifted  singers of our time. A bel canto specialist, she’s given brilliant opera and recital performances throughout the Bay Area, with a special emphasis on the music of Donizetti and Rossini. This month, though, she returns to Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall with a Cal Performances program titled “Songplay.”

A lighthearted celebration of Italian arias, American songs and jazz standards, it’s something of an adventure for this always captivating artist. I reached DiDonato by email midway through her tour of Asia. Here are her replies, edited for space.