Yep, Carole came — and conquered.

It was a “Beautiful“ Broadway moment: Who better to perform the title song of her life story than Carole King herself? That’s what happened Saturday night at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre, when the stage lights went up on a silvery haired figure at the piano in the musical’s Carnegie Hall scene, and it was King herself.

The appearance on this, the show’s fifth anniversary, wasn’t a total surprise. Invited guests were promised a “special guest star” and Sen. Chuck Schumer was sitting in row H of the orchestra. He and everyone else jumped to their feet when the “Tapestry” singer-songwriter appeared.

At the curtain call, King stood beside a clearly dazzled Chilina Kennedy, the actress who plays her, both of them clutching bouquets of yellow roses.  After acknowledging those who weren’t there tonight  — her best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann and her late ex-husband and longtime collaborator, Gerry Goffin, King thanked her audience.

“Keep coming,” she said. “You never know when I’ll show up.”