Cabral's father had previously worked in British Ceylon but returned to Goa in the late 1930s, securing a position as a cashier at Hindustan Construction Company in Bombay.

It is worth noting that during that period, telephone services did not offer direct connections, and operators played a crucial role in facilitating communication between individuals.

Cabral's breakthrough opportunity arrived when the emerging local playwright, A. F. Rodrigues, staged his tiatr production titled Opurbaechi Sun in Mahim.

[2] Cabral's breakthrough came in 1952 when director C. Alvares recognized her talent, offering her a role in his new tiatr production, Kortub Avoichem (Mother's Actions).

She appeared in popular productions such as Avoicho Xirap (Mother's Curse), Bail de Tarvotti (Seafarer's Wife)," Bhorvanso (Hope), and Ankvar Kazari (Bachelor Married), among others.

Throughout her career, she had the privilege of sharing the stage with actors including Anthony Mendes, A. R. Souza Ferrão, Effie Fernandes, Alfred Rose, Master Vaz, Andrew Ferns, and Remmie Colaço, among others.

Her performances garnered attention, attracting audiences from various parts of Bombay and revitalizing the popularity of tiatr, a form of Goan musical theater.

Popular among her film credits are Insaniyat, Nagina, Saqi, Shart, Sansar, Patanga, Nadaan, Sawan Aya Re, Ashiana, Ashima, and Aag,[4] among others.

After an extensive tenure on the Konkani stage, Cabral received a lucrative contract from television program producers based in Beirut, Lebanon.

Whenever opportunities arose, particularly in European countries, featuring Konkani programs or tiatrs, Cabral eagerly embraced the chance to partake, consistently positioning herself as a frontrunner in such productions.

In 1983, while on holiday in India, Cabral made a memorable appearance in Aiz Nam Faleam (If not today, then tomorrow), a new tiatr staged by her brother-in-law Bab Peter and sister Ophelia, which garnered acclaim during its performances in Bombay and Goa.

Throughout her career, Cabral actively participated in over 200 tiatr performances and delivered approximately 40 songs, rekindling memories of her earlier days when she held a prominent position among female artists in the Konkani theater sphere.

However, their marriage was abruptly cut short when Edward met his death in an aviation accident at Calcutta airport a mere eighteen months after their nuptials.

[1] In the 1950s, Cabral entered into her second marriage with a British man John Defrates CBE, who held the position of general manager at Hindustan Lever Limited.

[3] In response to objections from John's employer regarding his marriage to an Indian woman, he chose to resign from his position and pursue a diplomatic career with the United Nations.

Cabral's son, Mark "Marik" Defrates (1950–2016), from her previous marriage, pursued a career as a chaos magician and jeweller based in Key West, Florida.