The hugely charismatic and beloved mezzo Joyce Di Donato packed Jordan Hall on Friday night with her fans, old and new, as part of the cross-country charm tour of her new show (and CD) “Songplay.” She was welcomed like a conquering heroine in her Celebrity Series debut, and extended this welcome, one at a time, to her five distinguished instrumental guests as they arrived on stage for a portrait of camaraderie and musical fun.

Which was not, mind you, because of the familiarity of the songs, but because of their often-radical re-imaginings from their classical origins (“where what we do is so holy in a way”) and transplanted into the more laid back, sexy world of jazzy improvisation.